4 Must-watch Films at the coming Singapore Cartoons Underground 2019 Festival – SEA’s Largest Indie Animation Festival

The work of women filmmakers is front and centre for Cartoons Underground 2019 Festival, as the event moves to a new venue at Kult Yard.

This year’s agenda includes incorporates a special programme by female animators, with women strongly represented in the shortlist for the CU International Prize, as well as the line-up featuring many Singapore-based animation students for the very first time.

Here are 4 must-watch films at Cartoons Underground 2019 Festival

Knife Hanging From A Tree (South Korea, 2019)

Directed by JiHee Nam

Knife Hanging From A Tree was first inspired by the concept of human relationships and manipulation. How it was so easy for a person to change in once instance. And then I gave some more thought as to how I could make it into a story. Through several types of research, I ran into this Korean phrase that in English directly translated to “Sour Grapes.” – Says JiHee Nam

The Growth (Singapore, 2019)

Directed by Sarah Cheok

An ambitious young boy is eager to grow up so he can experience the world outside of his kelong in the middle of the ocean. Eventually, he musters up the courage to persuade the old man but was faced with disapproval. Being young and ambitious, the boy decides to go anyway.

To Be Apart (Singapore, 2019)

Directed by Jamie Goh, Jeraldine Ong, Zhen Ying Jie

Immediately shunned in a new town, Fluzzard resorts to changing his appearance to fit in much to his friend’s displeasure.

In Passing (Canada, 2019)

Directed by Esther Cheung

A portrait of Hong Kong in the seventies as my parents remember it.

Programming Committee at South East Asia’s premier independent animation event evaluated a record-breaking 1,416 entries from around the world as filmmakers from six continents competed for a coveted slot in the schedule.

In the end, CU Programming Director and recent Singapore Young Artist Recipient Tan Wei Keong selected just 19 short films to put before an audience of Singaporean animation fans. Of the 19, which are all being showcased at the event on 9 November, 13 are by women directors.

The other 15 films are:

• SELFIES (Switzerland)
• Indoor Days (Japan)
• Brain Cleaner (South Korea)
• Erebeta (France)
• KIDS (Switzerland)
• BurgerBurg (Singapore)
• The Light (Singapore)
• Health Hazard (Singapore)
• For Lorn (Singapore)
• A Love Letter “Out of Competition” (Singapore)
• Hot and Tasty (UK)
• Ode to Childhood (Portugal)
• Kinky Kitchen (Germany)
• Portrait of a Lady (Canada)
• Entropia (Hungary)

All films will be competing for the title of Best Film, Best Director, Best Student Film and Audience choice award at Cartoons Underground’s coveted Golden Durian Awards. Judges include award-winning illustrator Sonny Liew, former CU ‘Audience Choice’ winner Enge Hue, and Professor at NTU ADM Davide Benvenuti.

Cartoon’s Underground 2019 Festival is taking place at 6 PM on 9 November at Kult Yard, 195 Pearl’s Hill Terrace, Singapore.