Film picks: John Lui recommended the Italian Film Festival, The Wedding Banquet and Walking With Dinosaurs
23rd Italian Film Festival
The 2025 slate of films marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Italy and Singapore, and covers the genres of fiction, documentary and animation.
The Italian Film Festival is organised by the Embassy of Italy in Singapore in collaboration with The Projector and the Singapore Film Society.
The historical drama Vermiglio (2024, NC16, 119 minutes, screens on June 15, 4.30pm) is set in 1944. With the war drawing to a close, a stranger appears in the mountain village of the film's title, located high in the Italian Alps.
He is Pietro (Giuseppe De Domenico), a deserter from the south of the coun try. He and Lucia (Martina Scrinzi), the eldest daughter of a local teacher, fall in love. Their relationship will transform the lives of those around them as more of Pietro's past comes to light.
Film-maker Maura Delpero drew on her family's history to shape the story by returning to her family home to interview aunts and other villagers. The film won the Grand Jury Prize of the Silver Lion at the 2024 Venice Film Festival, and was selected as Italy's entry to the Best International Feature Film section of the 2025 Academy Awards.
Where: The Projector at Cineleisure Orchard, 8 Grange Road
MRT: Somerset
When: June 7 to 22, various times
Admission: $16.50 standard, with concessions for students, seniors, Singapore Film Society members and others
Info: theprojector.sg/italianff
The Wedding Banquet (R21)
103 minutes, limited screenings at The Projector at Cineleisure from May 30
(From left) Kelly Marie Tran, Lily Gladstone, Han Gi-chan and Bowen Yang in The Wedding Banquet.
PHOTO: UNIVERSAL PICTURES
This remake of Lee Ang's 1993 film of the same name kicks off The Projector's Pink Screen season of films with an LGBTQ+ theme.
The story follows Angela (Kelly Marie Tran), who lives with her partner Lee (Lily Gladstone) in Seattle. They are trying for a baby through in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), but are running short of funds. Angela's best friend Chris (Bowen Yang) is worried that his partner Min (Han Gi-chan), a student from South Korea and the scion of a wealthy family, will be forced to leave once his visa expires.
Angela's mother May (Joan Chen) is an ally, but Min's grandmother Ja-young (Youn Yuh-jung) is unlikely to support her grandson's relationship.
A plan is born: Min and Angela will marry for the sake of his residency in the US. In return, Min will pay for Lee's IVF treatments. Chaos and comedy follow when Ja-young announces a visit.
A review in The New Yorker magazine asks: 'In an era of wider LGBTQ+ acceptance, how do you fashion a romantic comedy predicated on the deceptions of the closet? Korean-American director and co-writer Andrew Ahn answers that question with the knowledge that acceptance brings pointed complications of its own. It's the warmth of Gladstone's presence that endows this remake with a whisper of something new.'
The May 30 premiere is a fund-raiser for Proud Spaces, a community centre dedicated to building belonging for queer folks and allies in Singapore. Among the post-show events are fake weddings and a festival opening party at the No Spoilers lounge from 10.30pm to 12.30am.
Walking With Dinosaurs
A close-up of a Tyrannosaurus rex as it emerges from the forest in the BBC series Walking With Dinosaurs.
PHOTO: BBC
When the original series was released in 1999, its realistic computer-generated creatures caused a sensation. Narrated by actor and film-maker Kenneth Branagh, it spawned a new genre of documentary that used digital images to recreate animals from Earth's past.
The six-part reboot from BBC Studios updates the science with more recent findings about the way the creatures lived, hunted, fought and died using state-of-the-art visual effects, with narration provided by Olivier and Tony award-winning actor Bertie Carvel.
The series is available to stream on BBC Player. It will also be on the BBC Earth channel ( StarHub TV Channel 407 and Singtel TV Channel 203 ), Sundays at 8pm, from June 1.
On July 5, from 5pm, families are invited to take along their picnic mats to the BBC Earth Screening Festival at Gardens by the Bay, with this series as the featured title. Entry is free at the event, held at the Supertree Grove.
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Vogue Singapore
04-06-2025
- Vogue Singapore
Something borrowed, something new: The Wedding Banquet injects new life into a queer classic
Two couples, one green-card marriage, and a whole lot of heart—The Wedding Banquet proves that there is no fixed roadmap to love. A remake of Ang Lee's groundbreaking 1993 film of the same name, The Wedding Banquet kicked off The Projector's annual pride month event Pink Screen , Singapore's largest LGBTQIA+ film festival . When Winston Chao (in his film debut, no less) appeared as the gay Taiwanese immigrant Wai-Tung on screen over three decades ago, heads turned. At that time, gay marriage had yet to be legalised in the United States. An interracial queer relationship between a white man and a Taiwanese immigrant on the big screen was even less fathomable. In the film, Wai-Tung and his partner Simon engage in a never-ending charade, marrying a Chinese woman in need of a green card to placate Wai-Tung's exigent and conservative parents. As the story progressed, there was no denying that Lee's vision was much ahead of its time. The film was an immediate success and has since become a classic in queer cinema. It was perhaps even one of the first showcases of a throuple in Asian cinema, long before throuples became a thing. But the original film was also a product of its time. Surely, there could have been no other way for a gay couple to start a family than by accidentally impregnating a girl during an antiquated bedding ceremony, right? 32 years since the original film's release, the realities of being queer have changed drastically, as Andrew Ahn's remake artfully reflects. From rejecting heteronormative standards to exploring the raw challenges of starting a queer family, the 2025 rendition injects modern elements into a classic tale, shedding light on issues pertinent within the queer community now more than ever. Lily Gladstone, Bowen Yang, Kelly Marie Tran and Han Gi-chan in The Wedding Banquet . Courtesy of Universal Pictures A star-studded cast featuring Oscar-nominated Lily Gladstone, SNL star Bowen Yang, Kelly Marie Tran and Han Gi-chan, alongside the legendary Joan Chen and Youn Yuh-jung, this impressive ensemble lies at the heart of Ahn's film. Angela (Tran) and her partner Lee (Gladstone) want to start a family but cannot afford another around of IVF treatments, while Min (Han) and Chris (Yang)—close friends who happen to be living in their garage—have a dilemma of their own: Min's student visa is due to expire. When commitment-phobic Chris rejects Min's proposal, the latter turns to Angela as the solution to both their problems—a green card marriage in exchange for money to fund Lee's IVF. A preposterous deal reminiscent yet slightly more grounded than that of the original, the two couples find themselves in an intricate web of lies as Min's skeptical grandmother Ja-Young (Youn) arrives for a surprise visit. It is rare that a rom-com is equal parts rom and com, but The Wedding Banquet strikes the delicate balance well, offsetting heartfelt moments with witty dialogue and brilliant comedic timing. It is reflective of life—where emotional moments and light-hearted ones go hand-in-hand. Youn Yuh-jung plays Min's grandmother Ja-Young in The Wedding Banquet . Courtesy of Universal Pictures As we accompany the younger generation through their various hijinks, the standout performance without a doubt comes from Academy Award-winning Youn Yuh-jung—a scene-stealer to say the least. Throughout the film, we watch the quietly observant Ja-Young slowly reconcile her preconceptions with her love for her grandson, grounding her performance in a subtle yet poignant manner. Her one look speaks volumes: as she watches her grandson stitch together what we later realise is a hanbok for her to wear at his wedding ceremony, a glint reflects in her gaze as she embarks on a journey towards acceptance. On the other side of the spectrum lies Angela's mother, May, portrayed by the iconic Joan Chen. While her peers struggle with a fear of explicit rejection, Angela's demons are more internalised. For one, having a mother who is a proud member of the local PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) organisation may be a distant dream for many. Yet the overt acceptance comes at a cost. When we later discover Angela's misgivings about parenthood largely stem from her strained relationship with her own mother, from whom she was estranged for years after she came out, the strings behind May's performative allyship begin to unravel. Lily Gladstone and Kelly Marie Tran in The Wedding Banquet . Courtesy of Universal Pictures In contemporary cinema, the true eventual goal is the dissolution of categories based on gender identity or sexual orientation. The audience watches the characters navigate their personal journeys and battle their inner demons—be it the fear of coming out, anxiety towards parenthood, or what the film aptly coins 'millennial indecision.' While the film weaves a deeply unique story, it also reflects a universal feeling—the desire for love, acceptance, and a sense of belonging. From one-liners that had the crowd cackling to heartfelt exchanges that brought tears to faces laughing only moments ago, The Wedding Banquet is expanding the canon of queer cinema. While the copious stories of disquieting queer experiences are indeed necessary, it's long overdue for a fun queer romp that carries as much heart as it does humour. The film is nary a cinematic masterpiece, but it doesn't tout itself to be one either. It promises only a fun time, a breath of fresh air to kick off a month of pride and celebration. The Wedding Banquet is now showing in theatres at The Projector. Book tickets here .
CNA
04-06-2025
- CNA
CNA938 Rewind - La Dolce Vita! Enjoying what the Italian Film Festival 2025 has to offer
CNA938 Rewind Play In 'Destination Anywhere', Melanie Oliveiro finds out where film fans can go to enjoy the rich selection of movies to be screened at the Italian Film Festival 2025. His Excellency Dante Brandi, the Ambassador of Italy to Singapore, will highlight some of the films – from the opener 'Diamonds' by Ferzan Özpetek hailed as Italy's love letter to women, to the closing film 'Arsa' an experimental audiovisual experience by the artist duo MASBEDO. The Italian Film Festival 2025 will run from 7 to 22 June at The Projector Cineleisure.
Straits Times
29-05-2025
- Straits Times
Film picks: John Lui recommended the Italian Film Festival, The Wedding Banquet and Walking With Dinosaurs
23rd Italian Film Festival The 2025 slate of films marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Italy and Singapore, and covers the genres of fiction, documentary and animation. The Italian Film Festival is organised by the Embassy of Italy in Singapore in collaboration with The Projector and the Singapore Film Society. The historical drama Vermiglio (2024, NC16, 119 minutes, screens on June 15, 4.30pm) is set in 1944. With the war drawing to a close, a stranger appears in the mountain village of the film's title, located high in the Italian Alps. He is Pietro (Giuseppe De Domenico), a deserter from the south of the coun try. He and Lucia (Martina Scrinzi), the eldest daughter of a local teacher, fall in love. Their relationship will transform the lives of those around them as more of Pietro's past comes to light. Film-maker Maura Delpero drew on her family's history to shape the story by returning to her family home to interview aunts and other villagers. The film won the Grand Jury Prize of the Silver Lion at the 2024 Venice Film Festival, and was selected as Italy's entry to the Best International Feature Film section of the 2025 Academy Awards. Where: The Projector at Cineleisure Orchard, 8 Grange Road MRT: Somerset When: June 7 to 22, various times Admission: $16.50 standard, with concessions for students, seniors, Singapore Film Society members and others Info: The Wedding Banquet (R21) 103 minutes, limited screenings at The Projector at Cineleisure from May 30 (From left) Kelly Marie Tran, Lily Gladstone, Han Gi-chan and Bowen Yang in The Wedding Banquet. PHOTO: UNIVERSAL PICTURES This remake of Lee Ang's 1993 film of the same name kicks off The Projector's Pink Screen season of films with an LGBTQ+ theme. The story follows Angela (Kelly Marie Tran), who lives with her partner Lee (Lily Gladstone) in Seattle. They are trying for a baby through in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), but are running short of funds. Angela's best friend Chris (Bowen Yang) is worried that his partner Min (Han Gi-chan), a student from South Korea and the scion of a wealthy family, will be forced to leave once his visa expires. Angela's mother May (Joan Chen) is an ally, but Min's grandmother Ja-young (Youn Yuh-jung) is unlikely to support her grandson's relationship. A plan is born: Min and Angela will marry for the sake of his residency in the US. In return, Min will pay for Lee's IVF treatments. Chaos and comedy follow when Ja-young announces a visit. A review in The New Yorker magazine asks: 'In an era of wider LGBTQ+ acceptance, how do you fashion a romantic comedy predicated on the deceptions of the closet? Korean-American director and co-writer Andrew Ahn answers that question with the knowledge that acceptance brings pointed complications of its own. It's the warmth of Gladstone's presence that endows this remake with a whisper of something new.' The May 30 premiere is a fund-raiser for Proud Spaces, a community centre dedicated to building belonging for queer folks and allies in Singapore. Among the post-show events are fake weddings and a festival opening party at the No Spoilers lounge from 10.30pm to 12.30am. Walking With Dinosaurs A close-up of a Tyrannosaurus rex as it emerges from the forest in the BBC series Walking With Dinosaurs. PHOTO: BBC When the original series was released in 1999, its realistic computer-generated creatures caused a sensation. Narrated by actor and film-maker Kenneth Branagh, it spawned a new genre of documentary that used digital images to recreate animals from Earth's past. The six-part reboot from BBC Studios updates the science with more recent findings about the way the creatures lived, hunted, fought and died using state-of-the-art visual effects, with narration provided by Olivier and Tony award-winning actor Bertie Carvel. The series is available to stream on BBC Player. It will also be on the BBC Earth channel ( StarHub TV Channel 407 and Singtel TV Channel 203 ), Sundays at 8pm, from June 1. On July 5, from 5pm, families are invited to take along their picnic mats to the BBC Earth Screening Festival at Gardens by the Bay, with this series as the featured title. Entry is free at the event, held at the Supertree Grove. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
