To mark 60 years of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Japan, the Singapore Embassy in Japan is organising the Singapore Film Festival in Tokyo. Singapore director Jack Neo and actress Aileen Tan attended the opening ceremony on Thursday (12) evening with their film Long Long Time Ago (《我们的故事》). Its portrayal of kampung life in the 1960s offers Japanese audiences a fresh perspective on Singapore.
When Japanese people talk about Singapore, they often describe it as “a wealthy garden city”. Some also note that “Singapore’s gross domestic product (GDP) per capita is now far higher than Japan’s”. Few, however, know about the hardships that Singapore’s Pioneer Generation endured in the nation’s early years.
Set in Singapore shortly after its separation from Malaysia in 1965, Long Long Time Ago follows the life of a widow, Zhao Di, played by Tan, and her family. It depicts how that generation navigated social change, as well as relations between ethnic communities in the kampung.
Long Long Time Ago (《我们的故事》) was filmed ten years ago. In an interview, Jack Neo explained what had inspired him to make it: “Singapore is a very small country with no natural resources, and in the 1960s, we had no money either. But the government gradually led the people out of those difficulties. Many people find it hard to understand how we managed it. This film gives a good account of that — you see the struggles that generation went through.”
Neo was pleased that Long Long Time Ago was once again reaching audiences overseas. Describing what cinema can achieve, he said: “Give me two hours, and I’ll show you an era.” He also hopes to collaborate with Japan if a suitable subject emerges.
Aileen Tan: We relieved ourselves on set as toilet breaks were difficult during flood scenes
Tan told reporters that her character was downtrodden and constantly bullied. “But she also has an incredibly strong side, because she has to look after her family. After filming, I collapsed on the ground and cried. I felt I had immersed myself completely in the role. Director Neo was worried then that I wouldn’t be able to leave the character behind.”
Tan also recalled: “It was a very tough film to shoot. It was filmed entirely in Ipoh, Malaysia. What I remember most is the scene where the kampung floods. We spent three nights filming in the water and couldn’t go to the toilet. Often, the cast and crew simply relieved ourselves where we were.”
After watching the film, one woman in the audience said the character Zhao Di reminded her of the Japanese television drama Oshin (《阿信》). But she found the kampung characters in Long Long Time Ago full of humour, singling out Mark Lee, who plays Zhao Di’s younger brother, as someone who captures the audience’s attention the moment he speaks.
Xing Yijun, a Singaporean living in Japan, said after watching the film: “This film vividly portrays interpersonal relationships and harmonious coexistence in Singapore’s culture, skilfully weaving together Chinese, Malays and Indians from different cultural backgrounds. If this series were screened again in Singapore, I would happily spend an entire day watching all the films in one go.”
The Singapore Film Festival in Tokyo runs for three days from Friday (13 November), with screenings in Roppongi and Toyosu in Koto ward. The other two films being shown are Ramen Shop (《情牵拉面茶》), directed by Eric Khoo, and Kopitiam Days (《情牵咖啡店》), which he co-produced and which was jointly directed by six Singaporean directors.
