“The reason that I choose to look at the death penalty in Singapore or for Sandcastle, the story of political exiles, is precisely because the issues are something that I care about, and that is always kind of propelling me, even if things aren’t going well… to think that this is an important story, it matters to me, it matters to some people I know, and I have to put this out there.”
Boo Junfeng
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Can you stay true to your art while making a living? At age 15, Boo Junfeng knew he wanted to make films, even though this wasn’t a career path in Singapore. In this episode, Junfeng shares the career choices that allow him to make films close to his heart.
Topics
- On calling, and balancing art and commerce (3:16)
- Making Apprentice, his second feature film, over 6 years (16:45)
- How Junfeng works (30:30)
- Social media, censorship, and streaming (43:35)
Boo Junfeng
Boo Junfeng has written and directed two feature films – SANDCASTLE (2010) and APPRENTICE (2016), both screened at Cannes Film Festival, and several award-winning short films. In 2008, he became the first recipient of the McNally Award for Excellence in the Arts – the valedictorian honour of Lasalle College of the Arts. He was also accorded the Young Artist Award (2009) and the Singapore Youth Award (2011) by the Government of Singapore, and the Rising Director award at the Busan Film Festival (2016).