Sayang Disayang on Singapore Airlines

"We find the films you love, to make your journey more meaningful"

I am proud to announce that my feature film, SAYANG DISAYANG - Singapore's official entry to the 2015 Oscars® (Best Foreign Language Film), takes the skies and flies high with Singapore Airlines from February 2015.

This is an honour to be associated with the coveted national carrier.

It's a great way to fly, Sayang.

A photo posted by Sanif Olek (@sanifee) on Dec 12, 2014 at 2:31am PST

#sayangMovie throwback 2009

On February 2009, principal shoot for Ramuan Rahasia began. Between then and 2013, the filmmaking process had evolved and became Sayang Disayang.

The following is a self-reminder that one can only plan but fate decides the outcome.

A photo posted by Sanif Olek (@sanifee) on Jan 1, 2015 at 9:42pm PST

Quotes on #sayangMovie

It has been more than one year since my film, SAYANG DISAYANG, World Premiered at the SalaMindanaw International Film Festival on December 2013.

Presented here are a handful of memorable quotes on Sayang Disayang. Thank you so much for the kind words. I'm humbled.

A photo posted by Sanif Olek (@sanifee) on Oct 10, 2014 at 8:49am PDT

A photo posted by Sanif Olek (@sanifee) on Oct 10, 2014 at 8:16am PDT

A photo posted by Sanif Olek (@sanifee) on Oct 10, 2014 at 9:28am PDT

A photo posted by Sanif Olek (@sanifee) on Oct 10, 2014 at 4:37am PDT

A photo posted by Sanif Olek (@sanifee) on Aug 8, 2014 at 10:55am PDT

For Your Consideration (2015 OSCARS®; Foreign Language)

SAYANG DISAYANG is Singapore's entry at the 2015 Academy Awards® i.e. Oscars® (Foreign Language).

Kindly visit the film's fb page for updates.

The Oscars?

I am pleased to announce that SAYANG DISAYANG has been selected by the Singapore Film Commission to represent Singapore for consideration by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences at the Oscars 2015 in the Foreign Language category.

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...wait, did I hear/write that right?

...it seems so surreal to mention SAYANG DISAYANG and the OSCARS in one sentence. Alhamdulillah. Insya-Allah. Amin.

(Read the film review of SAYANG DISAYANG here)

Variety (28 September 2014) 

The Hollywood Reporter (28 September 2014)

The Sun (1 Oct 2014, Malaysia)

The New Paper (25 September 2014, Singapore Press Holdings Ltd)

ciNE65 Mentor credit

It was an honour when the folks at NEXUS invited me to be a mentor for the 3rd edition of ciNE65 early in 2014. I was previously invited to be one of the judges for its past 2 editions. It is awesome to observe the programme grow since its inception in 2012.

Filmmaking is about collaboration. Another most important aspect of telling stories is to be able to inspire one another and grow personally from the shared experience. I am drawn into the project because the project promotes storytelling from the eyes of the Singaporean - to explore and express the Singapore Identity by sharing what Singapore means to us through film.There are so many stories to tell. These stories will be an important document to relate ourselves in the years to come.

Here is the final product done by the team.

UTTER 2014

I am so honoured to be selected as one of the filmmakers for this initiative.  This is the first time I have adapted a book into film. I see this exercise more of re-interpreting the original text with respect rather than a direct visual translation of the written material. I had the privilege to consult the author himself, Muhammad Salihin, for my film re-interpretation of his work prior to the shoot.

The premiere screenings took place on 30 July, 3+6 August at GV Vivocity. The second wave of screenings is ongoing at The Arts House, 1-6 September. For more details and updates on future screenings, kindly visit Sinema.

UTTER is a special Singapore Writers Festival initiative, which showcases the best of Singapore writing and celebrates its potential to be adapted into different media and across languages, giving audiences fresh perspectives and a deeper understanding of our homegrown authors. Utter 2014 will feature four short films inspired by Singaporean short stories in our national languages.

* Directors and writers will be present for a post-screening discussion.

* Each ticket comes with a complimentary Utter 2014 book featuring behind-the-scenes content, original screenplays and film storyboards.

FEATURING

Title: Tin Kosong (Empty Cans)
Rating: PG
Duration: 14 minutes
Genre: Drama
Director: Sanif Olek
Written by: Mohammad Zulfadli Bin Mohd Rashid
Language: Malay with English subtitles
Cast: Khalid Babu, Michael Chua, Aminah Ahmad
Inspired by: Tin Kosong by Muhammad Salihin Sulaiman

(Film review)

Title: Hui Jia (Going Home)
Rating: PG
Duration: 10 mins
Genre: Drama
Director: Kenny Tan
Written by: Kenny Tan, Asa Lee
Language: Mandarin and some Chinese (Hokkien) dialect with English subtitles
Cast: Steven Woon, Michael Tan, Bernard Tan
Inspired by: Hui Jia by Lin Jin

Title: Un Vasalil (At Your Doorstep)
Rating: PG13 (Brief Coarse Language)
Duration: 11 minutes
Genre: Drama
Director: Don Aravind
Written by: Wesley Leon Aroozoo
Language: Tamil with English subtitles
Cast: Sithira Thevi D/O Sinnathamby Selvalingam, S. Siva Kuma, Prasakthi D/O Allagoo
Inspired by: Mukadukal by Kamaladevi Aravindhan

Title: That Loving Feeling
Rating: PG
Duration: 12 minutes
Genre: Romance
Directed: Wee Li Lin
Written by: Teh Su Ching, Wee Li Lin
Language: English with English subtitles
Cast: Glory Ngim, Neo Swee Lin, Kamil Haque
Inspired by: Homecoming by Gopal Baratham

Sex therapy

Recently everyone's favourite comic/actor, Robin Williams, apparent suicide from depression has put mental health into the spotlight. Unfortunately, just like HIV, the stigma towards mental illness, i.e. schizophrenia, bipolar et al prevents many chronic sufferers from gaining proper health care. And this in turn causes unnecessary stress towards their respective caregivers. Mental disorders are real and affects everyone. 

Closer to home, many communities in Asia still view mental patients as "dirty linens" in the family and very often sweep these sufferers and issues under the rug to "save face". I feel strongly for this matter which led me to helping the non-profit ClubHEAL with their PSA videos sometime ago.

Another mental disorder that is not commonly discussed is sex addiction. I had the privilege to direct the first 2 episodes of the second season of the television series, BINGIT. Based on my research, on the contrary, sex addiction does not only affect men - women are effected too. Just like the other mental disorders, there is no obvious physical trait on a sex addict. 

Thus how do one identify a chronic sex addict? The general signs are when his/her addiction starts to cause cracks with the people close to him/her, i.e. the spouse or partner, the sexual habits begin to get deviant that it causes harm to the partner.

Here are the two episodes. They were telecast on 6 and 13 August respectively at 2200hrs. Rated PG13.

BINGIT S2 01/02 from Sanif Olek on Vimeo.
Bingit season 2 episode 01/02

An invitation

"Majlis Bahasa Melayu Singapura mengundang... Encik Sanif untuk membentangkan kertas kerja mewakili Singapura dalam Sidang Antarabangsa Kesusasteraan Asia Tenggara (SAKAT) sempena Sidang MASTERA ke-20 di Brunei Darussalam..."

I still remember some time ago when I began television (late 90s), I was tasked to produce a documentary about Cikgu Muhammad Ariff Ahmad. Perhaps this might not sound like a big deal to many folks but many colleagues then were genuinely concerned. Well, you see, my command of the spoken Malay language was - to put it kindly, rather substandard (and it still is in some ways). That would have meant I will be communicating 'full-frontal' with the Sasterawan aka *The Esteemed National Literary Figure* himself on an almost daily basis while I researched about his life. They were concerned about how I would be communicating with him. It was a challenge for me but Cikgu Ariff (good-humouredly) was kind enough to let me go on and converse/direct him in English (and yes, a smattering of Malay when I can). 

To cut the long story short, I went on to produce 2 half-hour episodes of Cikgu’s life and continued to produce another 2 half-hour episodes of another esteemed Sasterawan, the late Cikgu Masuri SN.

During the many conversations I had with Cikgu Ariff, he once casually chipped in that I still remember to this day. He said, “…biar bualnya kurang, asal jangan hilang jiwa dan bahasanya”.

I had just completed my first feature film, Sayang Disayang, about the Nusantara. So there! Another day, another adventure, baby!

Kalau bukan kita siapa lagi, kan..?

And yes, I humbly accepted the invitation. Wish me luck!

Singapore NDP2014 screening season

15 August.

And that wraps the screening of my feature film SAYANG DISAYANG that opened in Singaporeon the eve of its 49th birthday and continued to screen over the National Day period, ie 8-15 August. It was a tremendous experience meeting my attendees at every screening. Thank you so much for your presence and generous feedback. This debut feature filmmaking journey wouldn't have been possible without the gifted cast, dedicated crew and kind friends who kept reminding me why I made SAYANG DISAYANG in the first place. And importantly, You - the audience for your time and support for Singapore-made films. The only way to nurture the growth in homegrown arts is to actually buy that ticket and attend the respective showcase. 

I am privileged to have the opportunity to express the Singapore voice with Cinema. Its reach is universal and the experience is tremendous when I'm able to move another with the human condition. I set out to make a universal story about the Nusantara, of which Singapore is located at its heart. 

I am overwhelmed that SAYANG DISAYANG has attracted a mix of nationalities/ethnicities/demographic at every screening. Many in attendance may not know that the film was filmed in 2009, but was only completed in October 2013. Yet the issues and story are not out of place in August 2014. The film is independently-funded and possibly the 1st Singapore-made film in the Malay language in about 50 years. The spirit of its 6-year filmmaking process truly reflects our resilience as Singaporeans.

I look forward to share this journey again (both in Singapore and overseas). 

For details and updates on SAYANG DISAYANG, please visit the film's FB page regularly. #sayangMovie