|
|
Directed by Royston Tan
Royston Tan's first feature provides a fascinating window to a
world rarely depicted onscreen: the angst-ridden arena of adolescent
boys in modern-day Singapore. If that weren't fascinating enough, Tan
shows us this cosmos from the inside out: employing music, montage, animation,
fantasy, a multiple layering of video elements and a host of narrative
styles to portray the frenetic, tortuous, but strangely beautiful world
shared by a group of 15-year-olds whose only emotional connection to
the world is through each other.
<more>
Singapore / 90 min.
/ Mandarin with English,
Spanish & French subtitles
“Royston Tan shows us a dark side
of Singapore with his dazzling slice into
the psyches of frustrated schoolboys in the punkish feature
15!"
David J. Lamble, BAY AREA REPORTER
“ Electrifying!”
Ken Fox, TV GUIDE
“A chilling insight into the degradation
of overlooked fringes in a wealthy Westernized society.”
Ziad Semaan, FIRECRACKER MAGAZINE
“15 is edgy and a visual feast for the eyes!”
Jason Whitaker, GENERATION Q
“Tan's weaving of tenderness and
sexuality is homoerotic, providing a window onto the homosexual
bonding that takes place in adolescence - the first needs
and touches before sexuality becomes more fixed. The result is
an astonishing if at times gut wrenching experience.”
Jonathan Keane, LONDON LESBIAN & GAY
FILM FESTIVAL
“Shot with a cast of actual public-housing
kids rather than actors, 15 mixes graphic realism with quick-cutting,
music video-style camerawork to reveal what it's like to be young, alone
and angry in a city that refuses to acknowledge your existence. The kids
of 15 pose as hard guys, wear tattoos and rap the names of gangs like
a protection mantra, but (director Royston) Tan shows them for what they
are: young kids with frail bodies, who have no one but each other. 15
is the best film to come out of Singapore in years.”
Bryan Walsh, TIME MAGAZINE
“15 is a harrowing picture by the rebellious young Royston Tan
about the nihilistic lives of five teenagers in his native Singapore.”
Philip French, THE OBSERVER
“A frenetic and hyper-stylized portrait of a quintet of profoundly disaffected
suburban Singaporean teenagers.”
Tom Dawson, BBC
“Extremely gripping. Lush and vibrant!”
Rich Cline, SHADOWS ON THE WALL
“A confrontational film that demands to be
seen!”
Jamie Russell, CHANNEL 4
“A real ass-kicker! Like Larry Clark's 'KIDS'
but crazier!”
Martin Wong, GIANT ROBOT
“15 carries echoes of Larry Clark’s Kids
in its fearless depiction of truanting, bullying, body-piercing, self-harming,
porn-watching, drug-smuggling, prostitution, and HIV-infection.”
Tom Dawson, BBC
"Tan is one of Asia's most promising talents..."
Derek Malcolm, The Guardian
"In many ways stonger and more disturbing than Larry
Clark's equivalent
portraits of US teen skateboarder."
Tony Rayns
“Amazingly realistic performances…15 isn’t
easy to sit through, but there are ample rewards.”
V.A. Musetto, NEW YORK POST
“A collision of neo-realist casting
with in-your-face visual pyrotechnics.”
David NG, VILLAGE VOICE
“Visually the
film is lush and vibrant, both overwhelmingly brutal and surprisingly
tender at the same
time.”
Rich Cline, SHADOWS ON THE WALL
"... the direction is efficacious
and focused... a movie not to forget."
Eista Lee, Lianhe Zao Bao
“Director Tan's visually exciting
hyper-modern sensibility elevates the film far above the grittiness
of its subjects'
lives, capturing the youth in the artificial glow of an electronic Asian
city. “
CHICAGO FILMMAKERS
"In more private moments, Tan gradually
lets his boys express their vulnerability. He wisely slows the pace,
leaving many wonderful beats for reflection and allows the camera to
perform like a literal tide of emotion as tears of anguish flow in
and out of the hapless producer’s ducts."
James Wegg, FILMTHREAT.com
"Roystan Tan's astonishing personal portrait of a quartet of Singapore Tattooed Love Boys... joins BEAUTIFUL BOXER, LAN YU, MACHO DANCER and FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE as one of the truly unique portraits of queer life in today's Asia."
David Lamble, BAY AREA REPORTER
“”
 Deleted
Scene
Widescreen
1.85:1
Scene
Selections
Coming
Attractions
Dolby
5.1/2.0 Surround Sound
North
American trailer
Original
trailer from Singapore
Optional
subtitles
WINNER - Fipresci award
Singapore Film Festival
WINNER - special jury prize
Deauville Film Festival
WINNER - Best Director award
Buenos Aires 6th International Film Festival
SUNDANCE
FILM FESTIVAL - OFFICIAL SELECTION
Venice
International Film Festival
Sundance
Film Festival
Montréal
World Film Festival
Vancouver
International Film Festival
Pusan
International Film Festival
Singapore
International Film Festival
Atlanta
Asian American Film Festival
London
Film Festival
Stockholm
International Film Festival
Bangkok
International Film Festival
Hong
Kong International Film Festival
Sydney
Film Festival
San
Francisco Intenational Film Festival
Asian
American Film Festival
Los
Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival
WAVES
Asian/Asian American Film Festival (Iowa)
Gijón
International Film Festival
Outfest
Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival
2004
St.
Paul International Film Festival 2005
New
York Queer Experimental Media Festival 2005
Reel
Affirmations Film Festival 2005
Rhode
Island International Film Festival 2005 |
