Latest news with #NewYorkAsianFilmFestival
HKFP
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- HKFP
Screening of Taiwanese film ‘Family Matters' axed from festival after failing to meet gov't censorship requirements
A Taiwanese film has been axed from a film festival programme after it failed to meet requirements set by the Hong Kong government's censorship requirements. The Hong Kong International Film Festival said in a Facebook post on Wednesday that it had to cancel the screening of Family Matters. The movie was scheduled for two showings, one next Saturday and another on August 18, as part of the Cine Fan Summer International Film Festival 2025. 'The screenings… have been cancelled due to the film not meeting the revision requirements set by the Office for Film, Newspaper and Article Administration (OFNAA),' the statement said, referring to the government department that handles public screening applications. In the past, OFNAA has required films that do not pass its initial vetting to make changes, such as editing out certain scenes. The festival organiser did not mention what the revision requirements were. HKFP has reached out to the film's Taiwanese distributor for a response. Refunds will be arranged for those who bought tickets, the organiser said. In response to HKFP, the OFNAA said it 'would not comment on the application or censorship decision of individual films.' Family Matters is Taiwanese director Pan Ke-yin's first feature film. The film revolves around a four-member family in Taiwan's historic Changhua city as they deal with issues including identity, fertility and relationship, according to its synopsis. The film was honoured with a best feature film award at the New York Asian Film Festival in late July. Hong Kong's Film Censorship Ordinance states that a film needs to obtain a 'certificate of approval' in order to be screened publicly. OFNAA is responsible for vetting applications for public film screenings. Almost four years ago, Hong Kong passed an amendment to the ordinance that allowed the banning of films deemed contrary to national security. In February, a student union at the Chinese University of Hong Kong cancelled the screening of a Burmese film set in Myanmar's ongoing civil war, citing a last-minute government warning that hosting the event may break the law. In 2023, independent short film group and festival organiser Phone Made Good Film cancelled the screening of a nine-minute film Wake In Silence. The group said that OFNAA refused to issue a permit for the scheduled screening, allegedly because the film showed a flag containing 'potentially seditious intent.'
AsiaOne
01-07-2025
- Automotive
- AsiaOne
Daily roundup: HelloRide adds more bikes with upgraded features to Singapore fleet — and other top stories today, World News
Stay in the know with a recap of our top stories today. 1. Centre-mounted phone holder, enhanced pedal feel: HelloRide adds more bikes with upgraded features to Singapore fleet Chinese bike-sharing company HelloRide will expand its fleet of bicycles from 15,000 to 20,000 starting Tuesday (July 1) after it received approval from the Land Transport Authority (LTA). According to HelloRide's website, the increased fleet size will allow it to serve more users during peak hours, reduce wait times, and improve bicycle availability in high-demand zones... » READ MORE 2. Local indie film We Can Save The World!!! starring Noah Yap to premiere at New York Asian Film Festival in July Singapore talents are set to shine on the global stage soon, as local indie film We Can Save The World!!! makes its premiere at the New York Asian Film Festival on July 17. The debut feature film by director Cheng Chai Hong, known for his web series Average Guys and Neighbourhood Watch Task Force, is one of 10 selected for the Southeast Asian Frontiers section... » READ MORE 3. Cycling on pedestrian-only paths? You can be jailed and fined $2,000 Cyclists, non-motorised personal mobility device (PMD) and motorised PMD users will face severe penalties if they use pedestrian-only paths, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced on Tuesday (July 1). Motorised personal mobility devices include e-bikes, while non-motorised ones include kick scooters... » READ MORE 4. Malaysia starts enforcing VEP from July 1; 10 Singapore drivers fined in first hour Malaysia began enforcing the Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) requirement for Singapore-registered vehicles on Tuesday (July 1). A total of 55 officers from the Malaysian Road Transport Department (JPJ) were stationed outside Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) customs, immigration and quarantine complex at midnight, according to a Facebook post by JPJ... » READ MORE editor@
AsiaOne
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- AsiaOne
Local indie film We Can Save The World!!! starring Noah Yap to premiere at New York Asian Film Festival in July, Entertainment News
Singapore talents are set to shine on the global stage soon, as local indie film We Can Save The World!!! makes its premiere at the New York Asian Film Festival on July 17. The debut feature film by director Cheng Chai Hong, known for his web series Average Guys and Neighbourhood Watch Task Force, is one of 10 selected for the Southeast Asian Frontiers section. We Can Save The World!!! is the only fully independent Singaporean feature film in the lineup, and Chai Hong the only Singaporean director presenting a film at NYAFF this year. The sci-fi comedy stars Noah Yap as Ryan, a disillusioned government worker who meets Peng (Teoh Jun Vinh), a homeless man claiming to be an alien stranded on Earth who needs Ryan's help to find a lost doomsday device. They set off across Singapore, evading a doomsday cult and government agents, and find unlikely allies along the way. We Can Save The World!!! also stars Fauzi Azzhar, Xuan Ong, Leslie Sim and Daisy Irani. [embed] "I grew up watching foreign movies take me on adventures through the rest of the world, so I'm excited to now do the same for an audience abroad, taking them on an adventure through Singapore," Chai Hong said in a recent press release. "And make no mistake, our movie's journey might be starting with New York, but its heart lies firmly back in Singapore." After its New York outing, We Can Save The World!!! will have its gala premiere in Singapore on July 25 and will run at The Projector starting Aug 1. Back in 2023, the movie started crowdfunding on Indiegogo to raise $80,000 to cover its production costs. Chai Hong, 35, told AsiaOne in an interview then that the story about aliens was actually about the human condition. "When you talk about aliens, it's about, 'What's the meaning of life? Is there life out there?' In a very metaphorical way, I think sci-fi alien stories are us all talking about ourselves, it's about searching for meaning." In a "strange, roundabout way", he said that the movie is about young millennials and Gen Zs who "don't know our place in the universe". "We have really no freaking idea, we get told that we're supposed to study hard, pick a career and do well in it, and you'll find meaning in it. But the world doesn't work that way," he added. [embed] [[nid:719222]] drimac@
