The best films that celebrate fatherhood in all its joys and complexities
Admittedly, for some of us, the holiday is more poignant than it is celebratory. Not all of our relationships with Dad are perfect. Navigating it can be tricky; communication may go awry, boundaries may be overstepped, and a rift grows. How then, do we go about mending old wounds and patching up an imperfect relationship? An age-old question that hits close to home for many grappling with imperfect parent figures—many films have sought to explore these nuances of fatherhood and the sacrifices we each make in the name of love.
Heartwarming and indubitably moving, these films paint a powerful portrait of the unique challenges and responsibilities our fathers bear. They provide a glimpse into the multifaceted experience of fatherhood—the struggles of achieving work-life balance and, as per the Will Smith film title, the pursuit of happiness—as they endeavour to create a nurturing environment for their children given their circumstances.
Through the lens of cinema, these are the titles that promise to open our eyes to the joys and challenges of fatherhood and perhaps allow us to glean a newfound appreciation for the father figures in our lives. Here, see Vogue Singapore's curation of films to delve into this Father's Day. Courtesy of A24
1 / 7 The Whale (2022)
The Whale sees Brendan Fraser's glorious return to the big screen as Charlie, a lonesome English teacher in Idaho struggling with severe obesity. He desires to reach out and make amends with his teenage daughter (Sadie Sink), and have one last shot at reconciliation. Courtesy of Fuji Television
2 / 7 After the Storm (2016)
Hirokazu Koreeda has a knack for family films, and After the Storm proves no different. Hiroshi Abe plays struggling writer Ryota Shinoda, who is now working as a private detective. A quiet, understated capture of a man whose life bears the weight of his own choices in the past—when he divorced his ex-wife Kyōko (Yōko Maki), and thus left his 11-year-old son without a stable father figure. Harbouring a complicated relationship with his mother and his ex-wife, the film takes a vulnerable turn one stormy night, when he blatantly attempts to have Kyōko and their son, Shingo, stay the night—revealing his yearning for the family he had once estranged himself from. Courtesy of Amazon Studios
3 / 7 Beautiful Boy (2018)
In this biographical drama, Timothée Chalamet and Steve Carell star as father and son—Nicolas and David. Beautiful Boy explores Nic and his father's lives from his adolescence into his twenties as he battles his drug addiction and the torturous cycle of recovery and relapse. Courtesy of A24
4 / 7 C'mon C'mon (2021)
In C'mon C'mon , Joaquin Phoenix takes on the role of an emotionally stunted radio journalist unexpectedly saddled with the responsibility of caring for his young nephew Jesse (Woody Norman). Their bond, deeply moving and utterly transformational, stand as proof that fatherhood goes beyond blood. Courtesy of A24
5 / 7 Aftersun (2022)
On a summer holiday with her father (Paul Mescal), 11-year-old Sophie (Frankie Corio) treasures the rare time they spend together. For Sophie, who's on the precipice of adolescence, her father's struggle with the weight of life outside parenthood escapes her eye. 20 years later, as she attempts to reconcile the father she knew with the man she didn't, her memories of their last vacation together paint a tender, heartbreaking picture of their relationship. Courtesy of Fuji Television Network Inc.
6 / 7 Like Father, Like Son (2013)
When a blood test reveals that two babies were switched at birth, their disparate families are forced together to make a difficult decision. Made to choose between his biological son and the one he raised as his own, wealthy businessman Ryota (Masaharu Fukuyama) is confronted with what it means to truly be a father. Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
7 / 7 King Richard (2021)
In this biographical sports drama, Will Smith plays Richard Williams, father and coach of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams (Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton respectively). Coming from an unprivileged background, it is with his support and guidance that the sisters rise to dominate the field of women's tennis—eventually becoming the famed athletes we know them as today. With both sisters listed as executive producers on the project, Serena Williams has expressed that the film is a great opportunity for audiences to see how amazing African-American fathers are.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
7 hours ago
- Straits Times
Nafa illustration students bring local children's books to life
The TL;DR: Nafa students were tasked to transform three unpublished children's manuscripts into market-ready picture books. A total of 24 entries were submitted, with the winning illustrations to be published in 2026. SINGAPORE – For two days, two students from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (Nafa) went around neighbourhoods in Jurong and Aljunied to photograph HDB facades, lift landings, and polyclinics from specific angles. These images served as visual references for Miss Cindy Callista Lim, and Miss Cathleen Briggita Kandou, both 19, when illustrating Finding Missing Mali. The book, by Nurul Amirah Muhd Azmy, was one of three English children's manuscripts assigned to Year 2 students in the illustration design with animation diploma course, as part of their academic curriculum. Said Miss Kandou: 'The goal was to get the perspective right. In children's books or graphic novels, perspective is crucial, as it helps guide the reader's eyes and keep scenes clear.' Their attention to detail paid off. The duo was among three pairs of students awarded the Student Illustrator Book Prize this year, for each of the manuscripts, which were due to be published. The competition is jointly organised by the Singapore Book Publishers Association and Nafa, University of the Arts Singapore. The second winning team comprised Miss Carmelita Angelica Josopandojo and Miss Tanya, who goes by only one name, both 19. They illustrated The Way Ahead by Emily Lim-Leh, a story about a mouse on a treasure hunt, where each obstacle he faces becomes a lesson in resilience. Miss Demitria Jocelyn Gunawan, 20, and Miss Thara Adristi Aulia Aspriandhi, 21, were also awarded for their work on The Little Girl Who Made it Snow, by an anonymous author. The book has been withdrawn from publication for undisclosed reasons. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore 'For one last time, let's go home': Tears, laughs as last scheduled Jetstar Asia flight touches down Singapore Over half of job applications by retrenched Jetstar Asia staff led to offers or interviews: CEO Singapore No entry: ICA to bar high-risk, undesirable travellers from boarding S'pore-bound ships, flights Singapore 5 foreign women suspected of trafficking 27kg of cocaine nabbed in Changi Airport Singapore Fallen tree branch damages two Yishun flats, showering one home owner in shattered glass Singapore Man accused of raping woman who hired him to fix lights in her flat claims she made first move Singapore 1 ticket wins $12.8 million Toto jackpot draw Singapore 'Switching careers just as I became a dad was risky, but I had to do it for my family' Each winning team received a cash prize of $1,000. The winning student illustrators of two manuscripts will also have their work used in the books, which will be launched at the Singapore Children's Book Festival in mid-2026. This year's edition – the second time that the competition has been held – highlighted local voices and heritage, promoting children's books by Singaporean authors and illustrators that reflect the rich multicultural tapestry of the nation. Twenty-four pairs of students were given roughly eight weeks to complete the work. Using software such as Procreate and ibis Paint X, each team came up with 10 pages of illustrations. Ms Marie Toh, senior lecturer from Nafa's School of Design and Media, said that the students' works were assessed by clear documentation of their design rationales and experimentation, as well as how polished and well-executed their final outcomes were. The teaching team shortlisted the top two entries for each manuscript and then handed them over to the respective publishers – Epigram Books, Bubbly Books and Pustaka Nasional – to select the final winners. From left to right: Nafa students Tanya and Carmelita Angelica Josopandojo, The Way Ahead author Emily Lim-Leh and Bubbly Books publisher Eliza Teoh PHOTO Courtesy of Emily Lim-Leh Ms Emily Lim-Leh, 53, author of The Way Ahead, said: 'My publisher Bubbly Books and I decided on Carmelita's and Tanya's illustrations as the winning entry as they have a charming and whimsical interpretation of my The Way Ahead manuscript. We're impressed by the quality of these Nafa students' artwork and design style.' She said that the team won her heart with 'a magically dreamlike drawing of a deer with antlers that grew out like greened branches of a tree', adding: 'I feel they have brought in creativity and their sense of wonder, which makes this a wonderfully collaborative effort.' When deciding which manuscript to illustrate, Nafa student Miss Lim said Finding Missing Mali stood out because it reflected her own experience of moving from Indonesia to Singapore two years ago for her studies. Miss Demitria Jocelyn Gunawan (left) and Miss Thara Adristi Aulia Aspriandhi illustrated The Little Girl Who Made It Snow. PHOTO COURTESY OF NAFA The story follows Hana, a shy girl who moves from Thailand to Singapore and prefers to stay at home with her cat Mali than to go out into the intimidating world. But when Mali goes missing, Hana ventures out to find it, and along the way begins to connect with people in her new neighbourhood. 'Singapore was still a foreign country, so it was hard (for me) to adapt, similar to how Hana struggles to communicate in the story,' said Miss Lim. 'Mali, the cat is like her coping mechanism. I also have a cat, so I related to that a lot.' Miss Tanya, 19, one of the illustrators for The Way Ahead. PHOTO COURTESY OF NAFA Miss Carmelita Angelica Josopandojo, 19, the other student Illustrator for The Way Ahead. PHOTO COURTESY OF NAFA Most of the winners told TLDR that being able to see their illustrations published was a boost to their decision to pursue a career doing commissioned artwork. Miss Tanya, who began taking commissions from hobbyist artists to illustrate character designs at the age of 13, said: 'Before entering art school, I was already active in online (art) communities and had a clear understanding of what the career demands... That gave me confidence going in.' For instance, she had a clearer idea on what shape language to use and how to design commercially appealing characters. She and Miss Josopandojo designed the main characters with a round shape language, as they wanted the mouse to be a cute and affable protagonist. Miss Tanya added: 'I took on commissioned work to show my parents that this could be a viable career. So I think that's why they are extra supportive.' She added that while she and her peers are aware of the difficulties in the industry, the concerns are not in the forefront of their minds. 'Our focus now is to hone our skills and put our best foot forward, so that we can be competitive in the field.' Added Miss Kandou: 'I believe that what matters most now is that our book is given a chance to find its way into more hands and hearts.'
Vogue Singapore
10 hours ago
- Vogue Singapore
Jenna Ortega is a gothic siren for the premiere of Wednesday in London
We've seen the beauty realm evolve in a multitude of ways over the past decade. Long gone are the days when celebrity beauty ops would be dedicated solely to the red carpet with techniques used often obscured from the public eye. We've fast moved on to an aspirational age of social media: how-to tutorials by the professional artists themselves, established content creators sharing their own cosmetic hacks and even full-face routines by some of the biggest A-listers. And we've all emerged the better for it. It's undeniable—the likes of Instagram and TikTok have given us all a space for unabashed self-expression. And for some, an artfully made-up mien or a customised change of talons are the perfect canvases to do so. Pop culture has had significant influence in the sphere. Experimentation is abound, with novice creators and popular personalities alike attempting to ace a make-up look that is all the rage or share a thematic one-off look for others to recreate. Then begs the question: how do we sieve out the best of all? Make-up trends surely begin somewhere, and learning from our seasoned celebrities is never a bad place to start if you're feeling overwhelmed. Vogue Singapore might be of help to you on that front—with our monthly curation of captivating beauty moments, courtesy of our favourite faces from Hollywood, the K-pop scene and more, just for that fresh jazz of inspiration. In the month of July, we're seeing splashes of summer across the board. Think butter yellow tips and sun-kissed cheeks à la Hailey Bieber and Kylie Jenner for their new product releases for Rhode and Kylie Cosmetics respectively. Wet, wavy tresses ruled the roost too—as exemplified by the duo as well as the inimitable Nana, who's been killing it amidst her press tour for an upcoming film. The seasonal return of Wednesday also welcomes Jenna Ortega back to the fore—and she's already doing the most with her gothic siren transformation at the London premiere. Below, see the celebrity beauty highlights we spotted this month. Getty 1 / 12 Lola Tung It's Belly 3.0. Or well, Lola Tung on the press tour of The Summer I Turned Pretty, with cheeks softly contoured to perfection. Glossy lips in tow, it's her sculpted up do that catches our attention most; a marriage of suitable poise and youthful spunk one should expect from the young star. @xgofficial 2 / 12 Cocona of XG Cocona is the gift that keeps on giving. The buzzcut is going nowhere, only this time it's riddled with flirtatious edge: a scarlet lip stain on the side of her head. Bonus points for that coffin manicure too. Getty 3 / 12 Jenna Ortega She's a gothic siren. There's no getting over Ortega's look at the premiere of Wednesday in London: of wavy, waist-long hair worn in a low half bun, bleached brows and a dark lip to contrast her softly-freckled complexion. @haileybieber 4 / 12 Hailey Bieber Butter yellow reigns for the season. Case in point: Hailey Bieber's manicure amid the launch of her newest Rhode campaign. Her flushed skin and casual braids are screaming of a summer day in the sun too. @jin_a_nana 5 / 12 Nana A permed wet mane matched to moistened and puckered lips. This Nana look is but one of many—but it falls in cool girl territory instantly. @theestallion 6 / 12 Megan Thee Stallion For the first Pete & Thomas Foundation gala, Megan Thee Stallion brought out a look of sophisticated elegance; hair styled back with but a single strand, the light falls on her sculpted mien, signature lip liner look and that glorious wing liner finish. @somsomi0309 7 / 12 Jeon Somi We're re-entering our wet look era. For her upcoming Chaotic and Confused album release, Jeon Somi dials it up for a number of high-octane looks. This mermaid-esque one in particular has her tresses damn and scrunched, and 3D tips that are sculpted like an aquatic dream. @iamcardib 8 / 12 Cardi B Haute couture season is equivalent to Cardi B's personal runway. And it always starts with a theatrical moment at Schiaparelli; her strongly-shouldered moment matched to a side-swept, blunt bob and embellished mien. @faye 9 / 12 Faye Peraya At the Bvlgari event in Singapore, Faye Peraya is a picture of pared-back elegance. To let the jewels shine, her matte mien is elevated with an eye-catching wing and warm brown tones. To finish her look? A soft brick lip and pale pink nails. @xgofficial 10 / 12 Chisa of XG The girls of XG will never disappoint. All round applause for this operatic blush outing, and the graduating shimmers that begin from the inner corners of her eyes—spectacularly painted outwards into a cascade of sequins. @ninapark 11 / 12 Greta Lee Leave it to Nina Park to deliver a masterclass in perfectly-matted skin, and a dusting of blush on Greta Lee's cheeks—all for a look of natural beauty. @kyliejenner 12 / 12 Kylie Jenner Wet tresses left to fall over her shoulders, Kylie Jenner joins in on the summer fun with coral-flushed cheeks and a pristine French manicure.
AsiaOne
18 hours ago
- AsiaOne
'I'm happy taking the audience seat': Andrew Seow, now auxiliary police officer, reflects on past acting career, Entertainment News
One evening last year, former actor Andrew Seow's father asked him a question while they were watching television: "Is there something you've always wanted to do?" "That moment really made me pause and reflect. Contributing to national security had always been at the back of my mind, but life's circumstances never quite lined up, until then," the 55-year-old told AsiaOne in an interview recently. Andrew said his father was an auxiliary police officer (APO) in his 20s and had shared his experiences and pride in protecting others. Inspired, he decided to take the "leap of faith" and submitted his application for a position with security company Aetos. "To my surprise, I got a call within eight hours inviting me for an interview. Things moved quickly from there and before I knew it, I was putting on the uniform. It's been more than a year now. I'm proud to be part of something bigger, protecting our country and community, and I think my dad is too," he said. Andrew shared that his main responsibilities as an APO includes guarding and escorting persons-in-custody, conducting security searches and handling bail procedures. 'Those days in the limelight are behind me' As a former public figure, Andrew said he would be recognised by his colleagues, clients and members of the public occasionally. He shared: "I'm always thankful when people remember me and take the time to say something kind. But those days in the limelight are behind me. These days, I find more meaning in the work I do as an APO, carrying out my duties with professionalism and integrity." Andrew debuted in local showbiz in 1995 and acted in both English and Mandarin television series in Mediacorp. Some of his iconic roles include rebellious eldest son Gary Tay in local English drama Growing Up (1996 - 2001) and loyal friend Tang Tang in local Chinese drama Man At Forty (2004), for which Andrew won Best Supporting Actor in Star Awards 2004. He retired from the entertainment industry in 2007. Reflecting on his acting career, he told us: "After 12 fulfilling years in showbiz, I felt that it was time to step away. Life took a different turn, I had to care for my parents and I needed time to reflect and reset." He added that after stepping away from the limelight, he did some business ventures while caring for his parents. Because of his interest in art and culture, he also worked as a senior curator with Tsu Ho Gallery, which specialised in fine arts, jewellery and antiques, for a few years from 2010, before joining Aetos. When news broke in early July that Andrew has found a new career as an APO, netizens were glad to see him again, adding that he brought back nostalgic memories for them of their time watching Growing Up and praised him for his good performance. When asked why he decided to step back into publicity now, he said: "To be honest, I never planned to return to the spotlight. But I realised that if sharing my story can inspire even one person to take that first step towards something they've always wanted to do, then why not? I hope my journey is proof that it's never too late to chase your calling." As to whether he has considered returning to acting, Andrew shared: "I'm happy taking the audience seat these days. The current generation of actors and actresses are incredibly talented, and I enjoy watching them shine. For now, I find just as much satisfaction appreciating the craft from a different perspective, as a viewer and supporter." In a 2023 interview with actor Steven David Lim, who plays Gary's younger brother David in Growing Up, he told AsiaOne about some tension between him and an unnamed actor on the set of the series. Former actress-host Jamie Yeo, who played youngest sister Tammy, was involved as well. When asked about this, Andrew said: "That was quite a long time ago, and I honestly don't have any recollection of who or what the situation was referring to. Working on set back then, we were all young and still learning the ropes. If anything was misunderstood, I hope it's all water under the bridge by now." Although Andrew is no longer in the spotlight, he is still able to apply the skills he had learnt as an actor into his current career as an APO. "Coming from an acting background, I've learnt to adapt quickly, stay composed under pressure, and connect with people from all walks of life. Long filming hours also prepared me well for shift work. More importantly, learning to read situations, communicate clearly and stay calm even under pressure — these skills have been valuable and continued to help me in my role every day," he said. Finding joy in everyday moments During his days off, Andrew, who is single, values his personal time. "I enjoy the peace that comes with being in my own space. On my off days, I like to do a bit of gardening, care for my pets and spend time in nature. With the structure and responsibilities that come with being an APO, having the time to unwind and recharge has become something I really appreciate," he shared. He also enjoys spending time and cooking for his parents: "They're getting on in years and I truly cherish each day I have with them." Andrew's specialty is making curry chicken from scratch, and he said seeing how much his parents enjoyed it "makes all the effort worthwhile". "It's these little everyday moments that remind me how much joy can be found in the simple things," he added. 'Don't be afraid to follow your passion' Life took different turns for Andrew, where he got to experience careers as an actor, curator and APO, and it all boiled down to one thing — chasing his aspirations. Reflecting on his position as an APO, he shared: "This job has given me the chance to show others that it's never too late to pursue your passion. I've also come to realise that people see me not for who I was on screen, but for who I am today, someone who is playing my part to safeguard our country and communities. "On the ground, I've encountered people in distress, some at their lowest points. It's in those quiet moments, where you're able to step in and make a difference, that reminds me why the work I do matters." He hoped those who are thinking of a mid-career switch would consider following their heart. "It's never too late to go after your dreams. So long as it's something you believe in, give it your all. I made a bold move last year, and it's been one of the best and most fulfilling decisions I've ever made. Keep learning, stay curious and don't be afraid to follow your passion," Andrew said. [[nid:720796]] No part of this article can be reproduced without permission from AsiaOne.
