Fans of documentaries will get a treat by the end of 2018: A quirky and unique film by Singaporean director Sandi Tan viewable on Netflix.
The documentary itself was inspired by a series of strange events in Tan’s younger years. She and two other friends had an American filmmaking mentor who helped them to make a movie about a young assassin played by Tan herself. However, once filming was complete, the mentor disappeared — and so did the movie. He took the reels the movie had been filmed on and went on to live out his life in parts unknown.
Tan didn’t let the setback define her. She went on to have a successful career as a film critic, wrote a novel, and went back to school to learn even more about how to make a film.
The mentor who disappeared with her first film, however, popped back up in an unexpected way. After his death, his wife discovered the film reels while going through his belongings. She sent them, along with a note, to Tan, who was finally reunited with her first film. She used the footage to apply to a documentary film program at school, and crafted a documentary along with two other friends who had starred in the film.
The end product won a prestigious directorial award at Sundance, and Tan has plans to show the documentary at other film shows around the world. Netflix will feature the film on its online streaming service by the end of the year, bringing the interesting and engaging production to an even wider audience. Tan used the footage from the film itself, along with interviews from her two friends who had taken part in the project, to make the documentary. A Netflix official has lauded the film, saying that it speaks both to the bold rebellion one experiences during teen years to the experience of coming home and maturing — just like the original film Tan had planned to make did eventually.
Art can be found in any experience or place in life and the world — even in mistakes. The next time you experience a setback in your work or school projects, closely examine it before giving up. Is it a happy accident, meaning an unexpected step that could elevate your project to the next level? Just as Tan found award-winning art within the lost footage of a movie she made early in life, you, too, can find art within your existing work through taking an art class. Visit SGArtClass.com today to learn more about art and your own creative journey. From informative articles to discounted art supplies to a listing of different classes you can easily enroll in, SGArtClass.com is a comprehensive website dedicated to all things art. From film art to watercolor painting, there is sure to be a class to pique your creative curiosity.
To learn more about the strange story behind the documentary, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/netflix-buys-singapore-film-makers-work.