#LookAtMe
Poster of #LookAtMe
Directed byKen Kwek
Release dates
  • 23 July 2022 (2022-July-23) (New York, USA)[1]
Running time
108
CountrySingapore
LanguageEnglish

#LookAtMe is a 2022 Singaporean film directed by Ken Kwek. It was premiered at 2022 New York Asian Film Festival.[1] The film was inspired by Amos Yee's 2015 vlogs that criticised Lee Kuan Yew and Christianity, and other real life events.[2]

Synopsis

Sean and Ricky Mazuki are twins who live with their mother, Nancy. Ricky is gay, while Sean has a girlfriend, Mia. Mia invites the twins to the evangelical megachurch she attends where the pastor, Josiah Long, gives a homophobic sermon. The brothers become enraged by the sermon and Sean creates a vlog casting Josiah in a bad light. The vlog goes viral, which earns Sean a defamation lawsuit and a jail sentence for violating Singapore's laws on "hurting religious feelings" and "spreading fake news".

Cast

Reception

Martin Lukanov of Asian Movie Pulse akins the scenes of Josiah Long giving his sermon to "a real video by a real church leader".[3] Anthony Kao of Cinema Escapist writes that the film's choice to switch between genres was effective: family drama to build sympathy for the Mazuki family with the audience and tragedy and prison exploitation illustrating how the family's lives are spinning out of control.[2] Niina Doherty of Eastern Kicks writes that "Kwek's criticism of [the societal issues of Singapore or its legal system] is subtle and effective".[4] Akash Deshpande of High on Films writes that although the film had a chance of making a larger statement, it became "a reactionary work, which dulls its overall impact".[5]

At the 2022 New York Asian Film Festival, the film won a Special Jury Mention for Best Performer for its lead actor, yao.[6]

On 17 October 2022, the film was refused classification by Infocomm Media Development Authority, which effectively barred the film from being screened in Singapore for "its potential to cause enmity and social division".[7] IMDA, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, and Ministry of Home Affairs also stated that the pastor in the film engages "in an act prohibited by his professed religious faiths"; that the depictions of the pastor in the film are "suggestive of a real pastor in Singapore", and the allegations may be "perceived to be offensive, defamatory and contrary to the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act".[8] The film was scheduled to be screened at 2022 Singapore International Film Festival. However, even with the ban, the festival decided to include the film in its advertised line-up, though the film was marked as unavailable for screening.[9][10] The director, Ken Kwek and producers decided not to appeal IMDA's decision, as after assessing the authorities' decision, they concluded that the possibility of the appeal being be successful would be "exceedingly silm".[11]

Notes

  1. ↑ formerly known as Thomas Pang. His current name is styled as 'yao'.

References

  1. 1 2 "New York Asian Film Festival". www.nyaff.org. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  2. 1 2 "Singapore Director Ken Kwek's "#LookAtMe" Probes At Censorship and Homophobia". Cinema Escapist. 2 August 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  3. ↑ Lukanov, Martin (23 July 2022). "Film Review: #LookAtMe (2022) by Ken Kwek". Asian Movie Pulse. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  4. ↑ Doherty, Niina (30 August 2022). "Movie review: #LookAtMe | easternkicks.com". www.easternkicks.com. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  5. ↑ Deshpande, Akash (23 July 2022). "#LookAtMe (2022) 'NYAFF' Review: An Empathetic Drama discussing the issue of Human Rights". High On Films. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  6. ↑ "'Perhaps Love', 'Chilli Laugh Story' win NYAFF audience awards". Screen Daily. 2 August 2022.
  7. ↑ "Local film #LookAtMe barred from screening in Singapore over potential to cause social division". CNA. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  8. ↑ "IMDA refuses classification for local film #LookAtMe for denigrating religious community". TODAY. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  9. ↑ Lui, John (26 October 2022). "SGIFF 2022 to open with Kazakh film, Ken Kwek's banned #LookAtMe still part of festival programme | The Straits Times". www.straitstimes.com. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  10. ↑ Wong, Silvia (26 October 2022). "Singapore film festival stands by banned film '#LookAtMe' (exclusive)". Screen. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  11. ↑ "#LookAtMe producers not appealing IMDA decision barring screening of film in S'pore, as chances are 'exceedingly slim'". TODAY. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
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