Directed by Ken Kwek, Unlucky Plaza had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) where it received great responses and feedback - with three sold-out film screenings, standing ovations and a rousing applause after every session. The film was also selected as the opening film for last year’s Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) and today, it finally makes it way to the local cinemas.
Read on to find out what the actors felt and experienced during the film’s promotions overseas and locally.
For Filipino actor Epy Quizon and stage-TV actress Judee Tan, whom both travelled to Toronto with Kwek for the film opening, shared that it was an experience they will never forget.
Epy Quizon, Judee Tan and director Ken Kwek at Toronto International Film Festival screening
Quizon said: “It’s really heartwarming when you listen to the responses from the audience, even the small reactions like ‘Oos and Ahhs’ or when they laughed or cheered, it just feels really good. During the Toronto International Film Festival, we had a standing ovation from the audience and that was just special. I don’t know how to express it in words, but it’s something that I’ll never forget.”
“They were very participating! They laughed, they cheered and I think they really keyed in to the dark humour. While they didn’t get the nuances that only Singaporeans would understand, they were very responsive… I watched it for the first time with Epy at TIFF and with that kind of responses from the audience, it really influenced and enhanced our viewing experience,” added Tan, who stars as Michelle Chan in her feature debut.
Her co-star Pam Oei, who sung an original song for the film, had a similar experience during one of the students’ screenings that left her overwhelmed. “I was very heartened when I saw these young kids laughing so loudly at what they were watching. They were all teens and young adults who really laughed and responded well with the movie… it’s a good sign.”
Oei, who is married to Kwek said that her husband goes ‘into his cave’ when he’s working on scripts.
“It’s an invisible cave, I mean, a bomb could go off next to him and he wouldn’t know! And then after he stops writing, he needs another hour to ‘de-cave’,” quipped the local thespian. “As a director, my observation is that he is happiest when he’s working and directing. He’s a good leader so it’s nice to see him happy leading a team and it’s also nice to see the team being happy to be led by him.”
For Adrian Pang, playing the role as motivational speaker Terence Chia was something he calls ‘a lot of fun’. As a longtime friend of Kwek, Pang not only participated in his previous Singapore-banned short film, both of them, in Pang’s words, share the ‘same slightly screwed up sense of humour’.
“I think we both see the world in a similar warped way,” he laughed. “He’s a terribly intelligent young man and it’s great that he is able to channel all that through his scripts. I’ve always been waiting for his first feature and when he came to me with the script and asked me to look at the role of Terence Chia… I immediately said yes!”
“This film is quite something and I don’t think it falls within the mainstream films that are made in Singapore. It has also got something to say and with interesting and colourful characters…. I’m really proud of him to have achieved this.”
Unlucky Plaza is now showing in theatres!