Solos (film)

Solos is a 2007 Singaporean drama film directed by Kan Lume and Loo Zihan, written by Loo, and starring Lim Yu-Beng, Loo, and Goh Guat Kian. It is based on a short film by Kan and Loo. The film features no dialogue and recounts the relationships between a boy (Loo), his mother (Goh), and his older lover (Lim). It premiered at the Busan International Film Festival after being pulled from the Singapore International Film Festival when the Singaporean government demanded cuts.

Solos
Film poster
Directed by
Written byLoo Zihan
Based onUntitled
by Kan Lume
Loo Zihan
Produced by
  • Florence Ang
  • Gerald Herman
  • Ricardo Uncilla
Starring
Cinematography
  • Loo Zihan
  • Kan Lume
Edited by
  • Kan Lume
  • Loo Zihan
  • Meghan Kan
Music byDarren Ng
Production
company
Red Dawn Productions
Release date
  • October 2007 (2007-10) (BIFF)
Running time
71 minutes
CountrySingapore

Plot

A boy carries on an illicit affair with his schoolteacher while becoming more distanced from his mother. As the boy and his older lover also become more distanced over time, the boy breaks off the relationship, and his lover becomes distraught.

Cast
  • Lim Yu-Beng as Man
  • Loo Zihan as Boy
  • Goh Guat Kian as Mother

Production

The film was loosely based on co-director Loo's experiences. Loo had been in a relationship with an older man while he was a teenager. The relationship ended after Loo grew in a direction different his lover. Loo said that Singapore's anti-gay laws were not a major concern during filming, as other illegal behavior is regularly depicted in film. It is based on Untitled, a short film by Loo and Kan.[1]

Release

Solos was intended to premiere at the Singapore International Film Festival. After the Singaporean government cut the film, it was pulled from competition[1] and given a jury-only screening.[2] It premiered instead at the Busan International Film Festival.[3]

Reception

Robert Koehler of Variety wrote, "The film's achievement lies in its ability to imply complex entanglements and shifting emotional states without a shred of language."[4] Maggie Lee of The Hollywood Reporter compared it to a student film that overuses technique.[5] Twitch Film called it "a worthy addition" to Singapore's cinema.[6]

References
  1. Ferber, Lawrence (2009-06-04). "Silencing Singapore". The Advocate. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
  2. "SIFF 2008 - An Interview with Kan Lume, Writer-Director of Dreams From The Third World". Twitch Film. 2008-03-27. Archived from the original on 2016-04-22. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
  3. Musiket, Yanapon (2013-02-28). "Asean and gay". The Bangkok Post. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
  4. Koehler, Robert (2007-11-26). "Review: 'Solos'". Variety. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
  5. Lee, Maggie (2007-10-08). "Film Review: Solos". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
  6. "Review: Solos". Twitch Film. 2007-05-21. Archived from the original on 2016-04-22. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
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