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Eric Khoo’s Mee Pok Man celebrates 20th anniversary at S’pore International Film Fest

SINGAPORE — Born in 1965, acclaimed Singapore filmmaker Eric Khoo is having his own SG50 banner year.

SINGAPORE — Born in 1965, acclaimed Singapore filmmaker Eric Khoo is having his own SG50 banner year.

Aside from flying the nation’s cinematic flag proudly at film festivals across the world with three of his films ( In the Room, Wanton Mee and Cinema), Khoo was recently honoured at the Hong Kong Asian Film Festival as the “Director in Focus”. Now, Khoo is wrapping up the year with a momentous presence at the 26th Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF).

Not only will erotic drama In The Room be making its Singapore premiere in the festival’s Special Presentation section, his iconic Mee Pok Man is celebrating its 20th Anniversary by leading the line up in the Classics segment. To cap it off, his son Edward’s short film June In Pieces is in competition for the festival’s South-east Asian Short Film Awards.

“Things have truly come full circle. I will always be grateful to Phillip Cheah (former long-time director of SGIFF) and company for their belief and support in me and my films,” Khoo told TODAY. “I’ve always said that if Mee Pok Man had not gained the international acclaim and success, I would not have made my second feature and that would be it. I would not have continued making films.”

Khoo is widely credited with reviving Singapore film in the 1990s with Mee Pok Man, which was his debut feature. The film tells the tale of necrophiliac hawker (Joe Ng) and the comatose prostitute Bunny (Michelle Goh) he brings home. It was inspired by the story One Last Cold Kiss by Damien Sin in Classic Singapore Horror Stories: Book 2 (1994).

The film showed at more than 30 film festivals and officially put Singapore back on the map of world cinema. It was also the first ever Singaporean movie to be entered for SGIFF’s Silver Screen Awards. The film also won the FIPRESCI (The International Federation of Film Critics ) Award.

With such history, it’s only fitting that Mee Pok Man is celebrating its 20th Anniversary at SGIFF. Restored by the Asian Film Archive, it will be screened this Sunday, with the original cast and crew in tow.

Khoo revealed that if he could edit his trailblazing film again, he would “tighten up some scenes and drop out about five minutes of footage”.

But overall, the 2007 Cultural Medallion Award recipient is excited about showing the restored version of Mee Pok Man to a whole new generation of festival-goers and film fans.

What does he hope they will take away from the film? “If there’s a will there’s a way and never lose track of that dream,” he said.

On the success of Mee Pok Man, Khoo said: “It always puts a smile on my face.”

“Essentially, it’s all about good team effort and I have been blessed with meeting the right people along the way. I owe a lot to Damien who wrote the script. Mee Pok Man will always have that special place in my heart and I love everyone who helped me make it.”

And where does Khoo — who is also recognised for talent scouting and mentoring local talent like Royston Tan and Boo Junfeng — see his place in the overall landscape of Singapore’s film industry?

“I guess I am not that young anymore so I’m ok when younger kids call me the “Godfather” of local cinema,” he quipped. “I have to say I am especially pleased that the White paper James Toh, Lucilla Teoh and I wrote resulted in the formation of the Singapore Film Commission. It has truly helped many talented film makers here.”

Mee Pok Man will be screened at National Museum of Singapore on NOV 29, 7pm. The filmmaker and cast will be in attendance. Tickets are available at http://www.sistic.com.sg/events/siff2015

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