Boo Junfeng Director of ’Sandcastle’

In Sandcastle, the young hero is discovering the history of Singapore by breaking family taboos, how similar is his situation to yours?

It’s not autobiographical in that sense. What I went through in my family that is in the movie is the part with the demented grandmother, and how the family deals with it. In Singapore and Asian society [in general] there are taboos associated with caring for elderly persons and the involved moral dilemmas. As for the social commentary on collective memory, the parallels between the family’s memory and the grandmother’s, I wanted to develop this idea in the film. Singapore is always looking ahead and we may not always get a complete image of the past. I was researching for the film and saw the photos of the rebellious students protesting, and how willing they were to take action and express their ideas, which is unthinkable for somebody of my generation. We are generally more apathetic to these issues and I think it’s important for them to take ownership of issues that affect them.

This way of telling a coming-of-age story has some Hsiao-hsien and Yang elements.

Hou Hsiao-hsien was very briefly my teacher in the film academy in Pusan. Sandcastle and its subject matter could have easily fallen into angsty melodrama. I wanted something more content focused and internalized. I really appreciate Taiwanese cinema and its filmmakers. For my first feature I mimicked some of their elements.

What were your visual and aesthetical intentions concerning the film?

I wanted to create a portrait of a family. I chose large shots to get a complete picture of the family, while always following the boy to see how he deals with all different situations […] Like I said, it could have been a much more dramatic film, but I felt that I needed to restrain it. I get very tired of angry films.

Xiang’s mother totally denies her rebellious years. She’s the missing link between him and his grandparents. Is there a possible dialogue between younger and older generations in Singapore about its history?

Yes, there can be a dialogue. I think as with anywhere, older people tend to reminisce. Singapore is very different today from what it used to be, many places are gone and development is just constant. There is a lot of nostalgia for the past, but it’s different than learning about things that are taboo. We remember what we want to remember. Xiang has been told about the past but not about that certain chapter. Right now the Internet is creating a slow revolution. Information is more accessible and it’s shaping a different identity.

In the film Xiang decides to go to Malaysia for a short trip. What kind of relationship do young Singaporeans have with Malaysia?

A lot of Singaporeans say that Malaysia is like Singapore 30 years ago, and I say this in a good way. It’s a time capsule next to constantly changing Singapore. It has retained an older charm, and gives us an idea of what Singapore once was. Besides that, many Singaporeans have family in Malaysia.

Sandcastle is co-produced by the Singaporean Film Commission. Do you see an opening of the authorities for political filmmaking there?

So far they have been very encouraging and supportive. I see it as progress; people become more receptive to these subjects. I have to say that I’m not interested in controversy; I prefer social aspects to politics. I’m realizing just now how interested people are for this subject, but the film is more than that.

By Maximilien Van Aertryck

WATCH THE FULL VIDEO INTERVIEW BELOW AND READ A REVIEW OF SANDCASTLE

BOO Junfeng interview on sandcastle, nisimazine, cannes 2010 from NISI MASA on Vimeo.

Image / sound by Vincent Bitaud