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Directed by Royston Tan
Royston Tan's first feature provides a fascinating window to a world rarely
depicted onscreen: the angst-ridden arena of adolescent boys in modern-day
Singapore. If that weren't fascinating enough, Tan shows us this cosmos
from the inside out: employing music, montage, animation, fantasy, a multiple
layering of video elements and a host of narrative styles to portray the
frenetic, tortuous, but strangely beautiful world shared by a group of
15-year-olds whose only emotional connection to the world is through each
other.
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Singapore / 90 min. / Mandarin with English, Spanish & French subtitles
“Royston Tan shows us a dark side of Singapore
with his dazzling slice into the psyches of frustrated schoolboys in
the punkish feature 15!"
David J. Lamble, BAY AREA REPORTER
“ Electrifying!”
Ken Fox, TV GUIDE
“A chilling insight into the degradation of overlooked fringes in a wealthy
Westernized society.”
Ziad Semaan, FIRECRACKER MAGAZINE
“15 is edgy and a visual feast for the eyes!”
Jason Whitaker, GENERATION Q
“Tan's weaving of tenderness and sexuality is homoerotic, providing a window
onto the homosexual bonding that takes place in adolescence - the first needs
and touches before sexuality becomes more fixed. The result is an astonishing
if at times gut wrenching experience.”
Jonathan Keane, LONDON LESBIAN & GAY
FILM FESTIVAL
“Shot with a cast of actual public-housing
kids rather than actors, 15 mixes graphic realism with quick-cutting,
music video-style camerawork to reveal what it's like to be young,
alone and angry in a city that refuses to acknowledge your existence.
The kids of 15 pose as hard guys, wear tattoos and rap the names of
gangs like a protection mantra, but (director Royston) Tan shows them
for what they are: young kids with frail bodies, who have no one but
each other. 15 is the best film to come out of Singapore in years.”
Bryan Walsh, TIME MAGAZINE
“15 is a harrowing picture by the rebellious
young Royston Tan about the nihilistic lives of five teenagers in his
native Singapore.”
Philip French, THE OBSERVER
“A frenetic and hyper-stylized portrait of a quintet of profoundly disaffected
suburban Singaporean teenagers.”
Tom Dawson, BBC
“Extremely gripping. Lush and vibrant!”
Rich Cline, SHADOWS ON THE WALL
“A confrontational film that demands
to be seen!”
Jamie Russell, CHANNEL 4
“A real ass-kicker! Like Larry Clark's
'KIDS' but crazier!”
Martin Wong, GIANT ROBOT
“15 carries echoes of Larry Clark’s
Kids in its fearless depiction of truanting, bullying, body-piercing,
self-harming, porn-watching, drug-smuggling, prostitution,
and HIV-infection.”
Tom Dawson, BBC
"Tan is one of Asia's most promising talents..."
Derek Malcolm, The Guardian
"In many ways stonger and more disturbing than
Larry Clark's equivalent portraits of US teen skateboarder."
Tony Rayns
“Amazingly realistic performances…15
isn’t easy to sit through, but there are ample rewards.”
V.A. Musetto, NEW YORK POST
“A collision of neo-realist casting
with in-your-face visual pyrotechnics.”
David NG, VILLAGE VOICE
“Visually the film is lush and vibrant, both
overwhelmingly brutal and surprisingly tender at the same time.”
Rich Cline, SHADOWS ON THE WALL
"... the direction is efficacious
and focused... a movie not to forget."
Eista Lee, Lianhe Zao Bao
“Director Tan's visually exciting
hyper-modern sensibility elevates the film far above the grittiness
of its subjects' lives, capturing the youth in the artificial
glow of an electronic Asian city. “
CHICAGO FILMMAKERS
"In more private
moments, Tan gradually lets his boys express
their vulnerability. He wisely slows the
pace, leaving many wonderful beats for reflection
and allows the camera to perform like a literal
tide of emotion as tears of anguish flow
in and out of the hapless producer’s
ducts."
James Wegg, FILMTHREAT.com
"Roystan Tan's astonishing personal portrait of a quartet of Singapore Tattooed Love Boys... joins BEAUTIFUL BOXER, LAN YU, MACHO DANCER and FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE as one of the truly unique portraits of queer life in today's Asia."
David Lamble, BAY AREA REPORTER
 Deleted
Scene
Widescreen
1.85:1
Scene
Selections
Coming
Attractions
Dolby
5.1/2.0 Surround Sound
North
American trailer
Original
trailer from Singapore
Optional
subtitles
WINNER - Fipresci award
Singapore Film Festival
WINNER - special jury prize
Deauville Film Festival
WINNER - Best Director award
Buenos Aires 6th International Film Festival
SUNDANCE
FILM FESTIVAL - OFFICIAL SELECTION
Venice
International Film Festival
Sundance
Film Festival
Montréal
World Film Festival
Vancouver
International Film Festival
Pusan
International Film
Festival
Atlanta Asian American
Film Festival
Singapore
International Film
Festival
London
Film Festival
Stockholm
International Film
Festival
Bangkok
International Film
Festival
Hong
Kong International
Film Festival
Sydney
Film Festival
San
Francisco Intenational
Film Festival
Asian
American Film Festival
Los
Angeles Asian Pacific
Film Festival
WAVES
Asian/Asian American
Film Festival (Iowa)
Gijón
International Film
Festival
Outfest
Los Angeles Gay and
Lesbian Film Festival
2004
St.
Paul International
Film Festival 2005
New
York Queer Experimental
Media Festival 2005
Reel
Affirmations Film
Festival 2005
Rhode
Island International Film Festival 2005
Calgary
International Film Festival
2005
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