Prani Patton is not someone usually profiled for a film publication. Prani is an architect based in Melbourne. In the three years she worked in Singapore, she was an avid attendant of grassroots and independent film community events and screenings, which is unconventional. I had the privilege of meeting her through gatherings I organised as part of the FFF collective. When we caught up at the FreshTake! screening on 23 October, she was on a three-day transit between Melbourne and Hong Kong, and her perspectives were revelatory about our film landscape.
Daryl: What is your relationship with the film scene in Singapore?
Prani: The film scene, compared to other communities here, has many different kinds of people you wouldn’t normally meet. The most unlikely people could be attending a screening together. Film is a global experience, and it doesn’t matter where I come from. We’re coming together and sharing the common ground of what we watched. There’s differences between individuals, but that difference is the fun part. The films and relationships are relational, and you are not just watching it in isolation. It becomes a part of a bigger experience.
D: What was your favourite experience in Singapore?
P: I love getting to discover films and perspectives I wouldn’t have otherwise been shown. One of my favourite screenings was Perfumed Nightmare (1977), attended by director Kidlat Tahimik
here at Objectifs. It was one of my favourite films I saw that year.
D: How does the scene here differ from that of Melbourne?
P: In Melbourne, there’s so much to do, and it’s mammoth, so it doesn’t feel personable. Here, because of the lack of massive cultural drive for films, everything feels more intentional. People are so passionate and excited here. Of course, people are in Melbourne too. But in Singapore, coming up against issues of censorship and funding, artists here make films that are more effortful, committed, and personal because it takes so much energy and effort. Whereas in Melbourne, everyone is a filmmaker, which is great, but the stakes are different. I think those tensions are what make it worthwhile.
D: You’re only in transit for three days. Why did you choose tonight’s programme of FreshTake to come to?
P: As a Master’s student myself, student works are the most exciting. It might not always be the best, but it’s earnest and fun. It gives you the most fuel for thought. Plus, you get six short films for $10––bang for your buck. I really enjoyed Last Supper (dir. Valerie Theodas) because the process is so evident. The vibes and the music were fantastic.
Written by Daryl Cheong, edited by Phyllis Chan