Gala Premiere & Movie Review APPRENTICE 徒刑 ( Video )

Gala Premiere
It was a night of celebration. Celebrate as part of Singapore success in film making. The film was at Cannes. I did spotted some Singapore celebrities at the Gala Premiere. 

According to the Director Boo Jun Feng, it took 1 year for the casting. It also took Jun Feng 4 years to write and materialize this movie. Jun Feng mentioned on stage that the film is a labour of love. When the compere asked the casts how do they feel working with the director Jun Feng. They commented that it was amazing as Jun Feng is a soft spoken director and brilliant. Jun Feng too enjoyed working with the casts as well as the background supporting staff and when on stage, he acknowledged those who have help in the film, from France etc which happened to sit behind us. 

Jun Feng also mentioned that the film has different races and he make it color blind. I think it is truly a Singapore film which portrays our Singapore culture and multi-racial society which is what as a Singaporean or those who stay in Singapore can relate to. 

Presented by :

Akanga Film Asia
Peanut Pictures
Zhao Wei Films
Augenschein Filmproduktion
Cinema Defecto
Sun Entertainment Culture
Making Film Productions
Infinite Frameworks
ZDF Das Kleine FernsehspielArte

Written and Directed by : Boo Junfeng

Main Cast : Fir Rahman, Wan Hanafi Su, Mastura Ahmad

Supporting Cast : Koh Boon Pin, Nickson Cheng, Crispian Chan, Gerald Chew

Synopsis

Aiman is a 28-year-old Malay correctional officer who is recently transferred to the territory’s top prison. He lives with his older sister Suhaila in a modest housing estate. At his new workplace, Aiman begins to take an interest in a 65-year-old sergeant named Rahim. Soon, it is revealed that the charismatic Rahim is actually the long-serving  chief  executioner of the prison. Rahim also takes notice of the principled and diligent Aiman. When Rahim’s assistant suddenly quits, he asks Aiman to become his apprentice. Aiman tells Suhaila of his new job position, but Suhaila becomes upset, as their father was actually executed by Rahim. Aiman knew this all along. Can Aiman overcome his conscience and a haunted past to possibly take over as the next chief executioner?

Review

A strong and deep emotional movie where Aiman poured out his feeling as an apprentice of a hangman. Capital punishment is a deterrent in our region especially for possession of drugs and murder. Although the movie does spell out capital punishment by hanging but more importantly, the director hope to explore more about the affected relatives of man being hanged. 

Aiman was at first curious about the capital punishment. When he met Rahim, the hangman who hanged his father, he was emotional affected. That also affect his sister, Suhaila. As the actors are Malays, they speaked in Malay which was much more authentic and realistic. Relatives of death row prisoner of different race displayed different ways of overcoming their emotion. 

Rahim, gave a solid performance as a hangman. He faces death row prisoners with compassion. In one case where a Chinese man was going to be hang, he send Aiman to inform his wife and her family. No response from the family. During the day of the hanging, a white lie was told to the Chinese man. They even bought him a new set of clothing which was supposingly given by his wife. That makes the Chinese man journey a much more peaceful one thinking that his family have already forgive him. As a hangman, Rahim, has a responsible job to do. He make sure that the hanging process is a fast and quick death. No suffering due to problem relating to the rope and other things used during the death penalty.

Any occupation that deal with death, usually are not popular with our Asian culture. Rahim accept the fact that he will live alone without a family. I remember hearing from my parent a long time ago, that people who work in funeral parlor business, find it difficult to start a family. Nobody want to marry him or her. Death related occupation are usually not favored by anyone. 

Will Aiman continue his occupation as a hangman especially his own father was hanged. Can he overcome this emotional barrier. To make matter more complicated, Rahim, the hangman came to know that Aiman's father was being hanged by him. How is the movie going to end. Watch the show and you will know the answer. 

I shall rate this movie at 4/5. Many things does go through my mind while watching the movie. The distinct banging of prison heavy doors and the minute sounds of footsteps can have a profound effect on the audience, together with the fear of capital punishment, makes this movie a good movie to watch. 

The movie will be showing in cinema on 30 June 2016. 

Official Website

https://www.facebook.com/apprenticefilm/

Stars for the movie on stage after the screening of the gala premiere

Movie Trailer 

Singaporean Films At Cannes