Group Photo by Director Chai Yee Wei
On 19 August 2024, Film Studies from the School of Humanities and Behavioural Sciences held an exclusive screening of the award-winning movie Wonderland. SUSS students, alumni, staff, and guests attended the full-house screening at GV Plaza Singapura.
Set in the 1980s, Wonderland centres around Loke (Mark Lee), who runs an incense shop. To help his beloved daughter Eileen (Xenia Tan) fulfil her dream of studying in the US, Loke tells her that he has saved up enough—but he’s actually sold his home and moved into a rental flat. Loke’s new neighbour, Tan (Peter Yu), helps him write letters to Loke’s daughter. When bad news arrives from abroad, Tan (who has his own secrets) recruits their oddball neighbours to hide the truth from Loke, and so begins an elaborate web of lies driven by love.Wonderland is a tender look at community, friendship, and fatherhood. What would you do for the ones you love?
In a Q&A after the screening, director Chai Yee Wei and producer/co-screenwriter Michelle Chang shared some of the challenges they faced, from funding to finding authentic locations and filming dangerous stunts. It was all in service of telling a story they truly believed in.
Producer/Co-screenwriter Michelle Chang and director Chai Yee Wei during the Q&A, moderated by Film Studies Head of Programme Khoo Sim Eng. Photo by Ludwig Tan
Michelle described how the script was written in English and then translated into Hokkien and further workshopped with the actors, who really connected with their characters. But using so much Hokkien was a risk. In Singapore, IMDA’s Film Classification Guidelines state that “Chinese films meant for theatrical release should generally be in Mandarin, in line with the Speak Mandarin campaign. Films with dialect content are allowed on a case-by-case basis.” The filmmakers waited many anxious months before finally hearing that the film was approved for release in Singapore. This was a great relief for the filmmakers, who were passionate about using Hokkien because it reflected what many people in Singapore would have spoken at the time.
The film has several scenes featuring yummy-looking homemade Nyonya kueh and chye tau kueh. Producer/Co-screenwriter Michelle Chang joked that the crew was eating the props! Photo by SG Yung
Mr. Han-Peng Ho, Director of the Centre of Excellence for Social Good, said “I loved the film and its themes of hope, redemption, and new beginnings. It was also touching the way the Hokkien mother tongue carried culture, relationships and the lived experiences of the ordinary Singaporeans depicted – albeit in a bittersweet way given the trajectory of dialect use in SG. Personally, it also made me think harder of how my parents felt when I left for my studies.”
Ms Isla Wong, SUSS alumna (Early Childhood Education with Minor in Film Studies), also commented on how films can speak to us. “Wonderland touched my heart, and I'm sure it touched many other audience members, going by the number of tissue packets you could hear opening. Wonderland is a quintessentially Singaporean film, beautifully made, that encouraged me to reflect on my relationships with family and friends. I loved hearing the director and producer geek out on the behind-the-scenes aspects, too! I always look forward to Film Studies Movie Screenings because I know I can expect a wonderful film plus an insightful conversation with the filmmakers!”
Group photo of the SUSS screening of Wonderland, with students, alumni, staff, guests, and producer/co-screenwriter Michelle Chang, Film Studies HoP Khoo Sim Eng, and director Chai Yee Wei. Photo by SG Yung
Check out the trailer here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqB5k45drKo