Singaporean Cinema in the 21st Century: Screening Nostalgia

Abstract

In the 21st century, the notion of nostalgia has become more and more prevalent in Singaporean films. However, current studies of Singaporean cinema either adopt an auteurist approach or focus on the resistance against the government and the marginality of citizens from the lower social stratum, denying nostalgia a rightful position in the burgeoning field of Singaporean cinema studies. Yet, the focus on nostalgia helps to better situate Singaporean cinema in the world. In view of this, my aim in this thesis is to explore nostalgia in Singaporean cinema through analyses of selected films. I contend that the growing recognition of the local film industry, the rising concern for Singapore?s heritage and the increasing government backing have led to the formation of a kampung nostalgia on screen. This nostalgia, in turn, enables the realization and hence the continuity of a Singapore identity which had been long neglected.