Solos

In late April 2007, Florence Ang, producer of "Solos", the first gay feature-length film and undoubtedly the most sexually explicit gay movie to be made in Singapore about the relationship between a junior college student and his male teacher, announced that it would be withdrawing from its world premiere on April 25 at the 2007 Singapore International Film Festival "to preserve the principle that films at the festival should be shown uncut". Censors had demanded 3 cuts to the 77-minute dialogueless film. The movie stars veteran actor Lim Yu-Beng as the teacher, co-director and screenplay writer Loo Zihan as the student and Goh Guat Kian as the latter's mother who suffers from depression. Also co-directed by Kan Lume, it bagged the Premio Nuovi Sguardi Award at the 2008 Torino GLBT Film Festival. It was never shown in Singapore.

=Storyline= Inspired by true events, SOLOS explores relationships among three individuals who are struggling to open up their feelings towards each other. Filmmakers Kan Lume and Loo Zihan co-directed this pathos that dramatizes the selfishness of love and its tragic outcomes. Set in contemporary Singapore, SOLOS follows the endeavors of BOY, MAN and MOTHER. Having been in a relationship with MAN (Lim Yu Beng) for years, BOY (Loo Zihan) eventually grows up and wishes to quit the relationship. Conversely, MAN still wants to be with BOY and for them to settle together. Meanwhile, MOTHER (Goh Guat Kian) is devastated that her son (BOY) has abandoned her and has been in relationship with MAN. As the three characters fight their own demons, SOLOS juxtaposes reality and surreal scenes in order to give clues of each character's inner desires. The film has minimum conversation to give freedom to the audience individual interpretation of the film.

Inspired by true events, Solos explores the relationship between three individuals as they struggle to open up their feelings towards each other. Man (Lim Yu-Beng) and Boy (Loo Zihan) have been in an illicit relationship for years. Growing out of his teenage years, Boy is restless, and starts seeking new sexual adventures. Meanwhile, Boy’s mother (Goh Guat Kian) blames herself for everything Boy has turned out to be and wishes her son to return home to her. Each scene in Solos is at once highly stylized and painfully realistic. The film has no dialogue, but relies on strong visual imagery and sound-design to convey the story.

=Full cast and crew=

Directed by

Loo Zihan Kan Lume Writing credits

Zihan Loo

Cast

Peishan Chiew	... Dancer

Guat Kian Goh	... Mother

Yu Beng Lim	... Man

Zihan Loo	... Boy

Produced by

Florence Ang	.... producer

Gerald Herman	.... producer

Kan Lume	.... co-producer

Ricardo Uncilla	.... executive producer Original Music by

Darren Ng Film Editing by

Meghan Kan Zihan Loo Kan Lume Camera and Electrical Department

Kevin Yang	.... scene photographer Other crew

Kai Cheong	.... production assistant

Ian Purnomo	.... publicist

Angelika Quadt	.... publicist

Mickey Cottrell	.... publicist (uncredited)

=See also=

Singapore gay films

=References=
 * Oiver Ross, "Watching Solos in Singapore: Homosexuality, Surrealism and Queer Politics", Intersections: Gender and Sexuality in Asia and the Pacific, Issue 38, August 2015.

=External links=


 * Excerpt of Solos on Dailymotion:.
 * The official Solos movie website:.
 * Solos on IMDb:.
 * Fridae article on Solos:.