Brillante Mendoza
Garin Nugroho
Eric Khoo
Pen-ek Ratanaruang
Singapore, Italy, 2014, 88′
Screening format
DCP, BLUERAY, DVD
Screening format
DCP, BLUERAY, DVD
Category: Documentary
Introduction: A discovery of South East Asian cinema as told by the region´s most acclaimed directors.
Synopsis: When Cannes gave the Best Director Award to Brillante Mendoza in 2009, most cinephiles around the world had most probably never heard of his name. The following year, a Thai film won the coveted Golden Palm. Around the same time, in other prestigious film festivals across the world, films from South East Asia were gaining ground. Suddenly there was a surge of public interest to discover more about the cinema from this far remote region of the world.Documentary film When the Rooster Crows tries to explain what’s behind this phenomenon. The film takes off with interviews in four different countries in South East Asia with each of its most renowned director and major movers. Interwoven clips from their films and scenes from the street lend authentic colors and texture to visual style of the documentary.Through their words, each director candidly shared their experience working and producing independently, all of them, breaking barriers and challenging norms. They discuss the issue of censorship, both state and self-imposed and how to navigate through it. Largest part of their work is both a reflection and a critique toward today’s society in their country, from culture preservation, fundamentalism, society induced malaise, ethnic favoritism. They ponder on the future of the region and the prospect of working together.When the Rooster Crows is a voice of diversity reaching for change. Brillante Mendoza, Eric Khoo, Garin Nugroho, Pen Ek Ratanaruang give voice to a region rich with traditions, ethnic groups, languages, politics, and religions. It is cinema, at its purest form, fighting for freedom of expression, documenting real lives of ordinary people, giving voice to the underdogs and the outcasts. The amalgamation of these aspects gives birth to an ultra-neo-realistic cinema language currently unique to films from this region.
Festivals
Busan Film Festival 2014 KOREA
Singapore Int. Film Festival 2015
17 Udine Far East ITALY
Docs Against Gravity 2015 POLAND
Salaya Doc 2015 THAILAND
Cinemalaya 2015 PHILIPPINES
Focus on Asia Fukuoka 2015 JAPAN
Pacific Meridian in Vladivostok RUSSIAN
Erasmus Doc 2015 INDONESIA
Split Film Festival 2015 CROATIA
TIEFF – Taiwan 2015
10th Jogja Netpac Asian Film Festival INDONESIA
Cambodian International Film Festival 2015
Silk road film festival – 2016 IRELAND
Introduction: A discovery of South East Asian cinema as told by the region´s most acclaimed directors.
Synopsis: When Cannes gave the Best Director Award to Brillante Mendoza in 2009, most cinephiles around the world had most probably never heard of his name. The following year, a Thai film won the coveted Golden Palm. Around the same time, in other prestigious film festivals across the world, films from South East Asia were gaining ground. Suddenly there was a surge of public interest to discover more about the cinema from this far remote region of the world.Documentary film When the Rooster Crows tries to explain what’s behind this phenomenon. The film takes off with interviews in four different countries in South East Asia with each of its most renowned director and major movers. Interwoven clips from their films and scenes from the street lend authentic colors and texture to visual style of the documentary.Through their words, each director candidly shared their experience working and producing independently, all of them, breaking barriers and challenging norms. They discuss the issue of censorship, both state and self-imposed and how to navigate through it. Largest part of their work is both a reflection and a critique toward today’s society in their country, from culture preservation, fundamentalism, society induced malaise, ethnic favoritism. They ponder on the future of the region and the prospect of working together.When the Rooster Crows is a voice of diversity reaching for change. Brillante Mendoza, Eric Khoo, Garin Nugroho, Pen Ek Ratanaruang give voice to a region rich with traditions, ethnic groups, languages, politics, and religions. It is cinema, at its purest form, fighting for freedom of expression, documenting real lives of ordinary people, giving voice to the underdogs and the outcasts. The amalgamation of these aspects gives birth to an ultra-neo-realistic cinema language currently unique to films from this region.
Festivals
Busan Film Festival 2014 KOREA
Singapore Int. Film Festival 2015
17 Udine Far East ITALY
Docs Against Gravity 2015 POLAND
Salaya Doc 2015 THAILAND
Cinemalaya 2015 PHILIPPINES
Focus on Asia Fukuoka 2015 JAPAN
Pacific Meridian in Vladivostok RUSSIAN
Erasmus Doc 2015 INDONESIA
Split Film Festival 2015 CROATIA
TIEFF – Taiwan 2015
10th Jogja Netpac Asian Film Festival INDONESIA
Cambodian International Film Festival 2015
Silk road film festival – 2016 IRELAND
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