Singapore has selected Chinese-language thriller Precious is the Night as its contender in the best international feature film category at the Oscars.
The movie was directed by Taiwan-born Wayne Peng, a leading commercials director, as his first full-length feature.
Told from the perspective of a novelist who stumbles across the fragment of a story, the 1960s-styled set-up involves a handsome doctor who is having an affair with the starlet that he attends to.
Both end up dead, and perhaps only the writer can supply the identity of the murderer.
The cast is headed by Chuando Tan who plays two roles, Nanyeli, Chen Yixin, Chang Tsu-Lei, Xiang Yun and Tay Ping Hui. Production was by mm2 Entertainment.
The film had its premiere in Taipei at the Golden Horse Film Festival in November 2020, where it was nominated for two awards.
It enjoyed its commercial release in Singapore in April this year.
“The 1960s Singapore settings brings forth a sense of nostalgia and cultural richness that complements the plot beautifully,” said Joachim Ng, director of the Singapore Film Commission, who announced the selection.
Peng, who was also screenwriter and cinematographer, called his movie: “A story about beautiful people with ugly hearts and intentions.”