Following last week's sold-out premiere of CITY OF GHOSTS, we are excited to announce that 3 brand new films from Anticipate Pictures will make their own Singapore premiere at our nation's prestigious Singapore International Film Festival 2017!!
• THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER (2017) dir. Yorgos Lanthimos
Yorgos Lanthimos is one singularly weird filmmaker, of DOGTOOTH and THE LOBSTER fame. When we first read the script for this film, it was like 'WTF??!!' and it pretty much left us salivating over the prospect of seeing this on the big screen. The script just confirmed Lanthimos' reputation - he's one of the most original filmmakers out there, with stories that are at once so absurd in vision yet hugely illuminating of the darker corners of the human psyche - stories that only he can tell.
We are so stoked to bring this devilishly twisted thriller all the way from its world premiere in Cannes to our island shores. It is best to go into this film not knowing an iota of what is going to happen, but if you must - there is a trailer:
Colin is excited too. Also he wants you to know that a surgeon never kills a patient.
This dude (actor Barry Keoghan) may have hit his head and died unspectacularly in DUNKIRK but he's about to fuck your life up spectacularly in this film. Be very afraid.
• THE SQUARE (2017) dir. Ruben Östlund
I had missed the world premiere of THE SQUARE and 4 whole days had elapsed before I got the chance to see this film. During those 4 days, three people on totally separate occasions told me to absolutely not miss this film, and that about 2 in 10 friends totally hate this, but the other 8 will love it - and in any case, great conversations (or arguments) will be had after you see it.
So you can imagine I was like 'hell yeah I gotta see this' and over the course of some 142 mins of this film, I was shocked, elated, flat-out laughing, irritated, and just floored by the stupendous situations director Ruben Östlund organically presents in this follow-up feature to Oscar-nominated film FORCE MAJEURE. THE SQUARE was so damn entertaining I left the screening just buzzing from the entire experience and sent an email to the sales agent screaming "LET ME BUY THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!" which they promptly did.
Then on Sunday they won the top prize at Cannes and everyone was vindicated. This is one film I can't wait to share with you - and especially your arty-farty friend.
Total boob.
She's definitely not a fan of you hitting-it-and-quitting-it.
We are proud to present the international trailer of THE SQUARE, which in my humble opinion is waaaaay better than the U.S. version:
• OH LUCY! (2017) dir. Atsuko Hirayanagi
Back in 2014, a small Japanese short film played before screenings of BOYHOOD in Cathay cinemas. It was an unassuming little oddity about a Japanese woman going for an English class. Small details like that stick in my mind, and when I saw that a feature film of the same name was picked by Cannes Critics' Week this year, my curiosity was piqued and I promptly signed up for the screening.
Yes, that's Josh Hartnett in the middle.
First of all, where the heck did Josh Hartnett go all these years?! After he makes you crush on him in PEARL HARBOR, he go and disappear. Never mind, because Josh is back!! And now as a charming SoCal boy who is going to teach you how to speak like an American.
But moving beyond the biggest name of this film, is the actress who plays Lucy. Shinobu Terajima may not be a household name here in Singapore, but her portrayal of an OL breaking out of her shell to embrace the flamboyant passion-seeking woman she always needed to be, is one heck of a journey.
Shinobu Terajima as Lucy in OH LUCY! (2017)
Subverting expectations at every turn, this charming and pleasantly unpredictable dramedy is a sweetly moving film that puts a wonderful character in the middle of it all. Middle-aged women are seldom portrayed as honestly and as movingly as that of Lucy. Her spirit will win you over, and it is to Atsuko Hirayanagi's credit, as the writer-director of the short film and this feature, whom is able to tap into that psyche and mine such powerful emotions.
Check out the trailer here:
And as an added bonus, guess who is coming to Singapore!!!??? We are so proud to have our good partners at the Singapore International Film Festival graciously inviting Josh, Atsuko and another member of the Japanese cast to Singapore to grace a Special Presentations slot on the red carpet!!! See more details on the SGIFF website.
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And that's it folks! THREE glorious titles to await with bated breath to. And don't forget to sign up for our mailing list, Like our social media platforms and stay tuned to this space for more of the finest cinema from around the world! There is also a special event coming soon in January 2018. We hope you will enjoy these movies as much as we enjoyed them!
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