Small Film Captures Asia's Biggest Film Fest
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At Asia's largest film event, the Pusan International Film Festival, a low-budget U.S.-Singaporean film has grabbed people's attention amid the glitz and glamour of larger productions. The movie is about a single mother who is reunited with her father after 20 years because of her blind son.
Graham Streeter is an American director with an intimate knowledge of Asia. He lived in Japan for 10 years from the age of 16. But even as he moved onto a career in TV production in the U.S., an Asia sensibility stayed with him. This is evident in his first feature film "Cages", about a blind Singaporean boy who reunites his mother with his grandfather. "It's a story about three generations, about family, about miscommunication and a bond that is created by a young son who is blind. So ironically, not seeing the environment around him, he is able to see the truth in bringing everyone together", Streeter explains.
On his first visit to Singapore five years ago, Streeter was struck by the birdcages that are everywhere in the Lion City and spent the next four years researching its culture. The director says the film is an illustration of life and how to free yourself from the cages that you place yourself or allow others to put you in. And few could play a visually-impaired boy better than 10-year-old Dickson Tan, who is blind himself.
"When we say someone is disabled we think they are completely disabled, but basically they have different abilities and different strengths", Streeter says. "I think that this brings to light how we all view someone with disability. Sometimes we are emotionally disabled whereas somebody else is physically disabled. So this kind of points out what is disabled and what is being able to really see what love is all about in family".
The film is being screened this week as part of a special program showcasing films of APEC nations. "Cages" will not be representing Streeter's homeland but Singapore, the country most touched by this profound portrayal of its birdsong culture.
Arirang News
Graham Streeter is an American director with an intimate knowledge of Asia. He lived in Japan for 10 years from the age of 16. But even as he moved onto a career in TV production in the U.S., an Asia sensibility stayed with him. This is evident in his first feature film "Cages", about a blind Singaporean boy who reunites his mother with his grandfather. "It's a story about three generations, about family, about miscommunication and a bond that is created by a young son who is blind. So ironically, not seeing the environment around him, he is able to see the truth in bringing everyone together", Streeter explains.
On his first visit to Singapore five years ago, Streeter was struck by the birdcages that are everywhere in the Lion City and spent the next four years researching its culture. The director says the film is an illustration of life and how to free yourself from the cages that you place yourself or allow others to put you in. And few could play a visually-impaired boy better than 10-year-old Dickson Tan, who is blind himself.
"When we say someone is disabled we think they are completely disabled, but basically they have different abilities and different strengths", Streeter says. "I think that this brings to light how we all view someone with disability. Sometimes we are emotionally disabled whereas somebody else is physically disabled. So this kind of points out what is disabled and what is being able to really see what love is all about in family".
The film is being screened this week as part of a special program showcasing films of APEC nations. "Cages" will not be representing Streeter's homeland but Singapore, the country most touched by this profound portrayal of its birdsong culture.
Arirang News
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