“Small Hours of the Night” by Singaporean director Daniel Hui has been removed from the list of the Singapore International Film Festival.
The city authorities refused the state a release certificate for the film, meaning it was effectively banned and the festival could not go ahead with the planned docudrama screening in the Undercurrents section. The festival did not issue any public statement, but its website shows that the film is not available for screening.
In the early years of Singapore’s independence (from the British Empire in 1963 and from Malaysia in 1965), Tan Chai Wa was an armed activist, possibly a communist, who rejected the separation of the two countries. By the time authorities arrested him in 1976, he was working as a bus driver. He fled Singapore, but was caught with a loaded gun in Malaysia and hanged in 1983.
“The Small Hours” involves a real-life lawsuit that followed Tan’s brother’s attempt to follow Tan Chai Wa’s last wishes and engrave a revolutionary poem on his grave. This case scandalized the institution and the brother was imprisoned on charges of defending actions that harm the security of Singapore.
“In consultation with the Ministry of Law and the Attorney-General’s Chambers, IMDA assessed the film to ensure that it contains potentially contravening content, i.e. illegal. It would likely be prejudicial to national interests to approve its showing,” Media Development Authority InfoComm said.
“As the director of this film, the irony that sticks with me is that a film about censorship is itself censored. Of course I am very disappointed that people all over the world can see this film, but not in Singapore. However, I still I hope that one day, we will have a discursive space in Singapore that is gracious and generous enough to include diverse voices and viewpoints.
The film had its world premiere at the Rotterdam International Film Festival earlier this year, its North American premiere at Doc Fortnight MoMA, its Asian premiere at the Taipei International Film Festival, and most recently screened as part of Experimenta Strand at the BFI London Film. festival.
It is produced by Tan Bee Thiam and Hui, through 13 Little Pictures with support from Purin Pictures and White Light Studios. It was first presented as a project at FIDLab 2016 and Berlinale Talents Doc Station 2017. It also received funding from the Tan Ean Kiam Foundation – SGIFF Documentary Film Grant for Southeast Asia in 2020, administered by the festival.
Hui’s next project is once again getting financing from Purin Pictures.