A Singapore Film Breaks New Ground at Locarno
On August 12, 2018 at 8:24 AM, Yeo Siew Hua’s first feature, A Land Imagined, won the Golden Leopard at the 71st Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland.
Historic Victory
- It’s the first Singapore film to snag Locarno’s top prize.
- The festival ran from Aug 1‑11 and screened 293 titles from every corner of the globe.
- Even Hollywood stars Ethan Hawke and Meg Ryan were in the crowd.
More Accolades
- Best Director – Junior Jury – a shout‑out from the young cine‑fans.
- A Special Mention from the Ecumenical Jury for sparking “religious, people‑related, and social values.”
- Luna Kwok earned the Boccalino d’Oro for Best Actress.
Plot Snapshot
Peter Yu plays Lok, a detective on a mission to track a migrant worker, Wang (Liu Xiaoyi), who vanished after a mishap at the worksite. The story jumps between the real world and the cyber‑verse, where Wang spends time at a cybercafe and builds a friendship with a mysterious gamer that takes a dark turn.
Director’s Reaction
“I’m literally speechless,” Yeo told the Locarno YouTube channel. “I never expected to be in a legendary festival like Locarno, let alone win the Golden Leopard – it feels like one of my wildest dreams.”
International Distribution
- The film is a joint Singapore‑France‑Netherlands production, and a worldwide release is on the way.
- Ng Say Yong, Chief Content Officer of mm2 Entertainment, praised Yeo’s win and promised to keep backing local talent.
Background
Yeo graduated at the top of his class from Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s School of Media Studies. He made short films such as Aik Khoon and Waking Monkey, which earned festival awards. His debut feature, In the House of Straw, debuted in 2009 and was hailed as a milestone of the Singapore New Wave.
