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Chai Yee Wei

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In this Chinese name, the family name is Chai.
Chai Yee Wei
蔡于位
Born (1976-06-21) 21 June 1976 (age 48)
Singapore
Occupation(s)Film director, writer and producer
Employer(s)Mocha Chai Laboratories
Hot Cider Films
Notable workBlood Ties,
Twisted (2011),
That Girl in Pinafore (2013),
"Benjamin's last day at Katong Swimming Complex" (2017)
"Sister" (2018)
SpouseDiane Chan
AwardsGrand Prix George Lucas Award
Websitewww.mochachailab.com
www.alittleseed.com

Chai Yee Wei (Chinese: 蔡于位; pinyin: Cài Yúweì; born 21 June 1976), is a Singaporean film director, writer and producer. He is also the founder of Mocha Chai Laboratories and A Little Seed, an authorised Apple iTunes aggregator. He also founded production company Hot Cider Films, Japanese curry specialty restaurant Curry Favor, as well as an IT company and wedding photography businesses.[1]

Career

Chai's debut feature film Blood Ties, which premiered on 10 September 2009, was funded under the Singapore Film Commission's New Feature Film Fund. Chai had also made countless comedy shorts, such as Loser, Lau Sai (Diarrhoea) and My Blue Heaven, amongst others.

Twisted, released in Malaysia in 2011, is Chai's second feature film. It won "Best Feature" at the 2012 Detroit Nightmare Film Festival and was selected for the 2012 Rhode Island International Horror Film Festival, 2012 Grimm Up North International Horror Film Festival, and 2012 Focus on Asia Fukuoka International Film Festival.

That Girl in Pinafore is Chai's third feature film released in 2013. Set in the 1990s, it is a comedy-musical starring Daren Tan, Julie Tan, Hayley Woo and Jayley Woo. The film premiered at the 2013 Shanghai International Film Festival and shown at the Festival Nits de Oriental, Taoyuan International Film Festival, and Focus on Asia Fukuoka International Film Festival.

The Voice of China producers watched That Girl in Pinafore in Shanghai and sought Chai to direct a music movie, Voice of China Turn You Around, with the singers from the first two seasons of The Voice of China. The film was pre-sold to the Fox TV Network and had a limited theatrical release in China in January 2014.

In June 2018, Chai was awarded the Grand Prix George Lucas Award at the 20th Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia for his short film Benjamin's Last Day At Katong Swimming Complex, a wistful, nostalgic story about a young boy's sexual awakening, as well as the impact on our heritage triggered by Singapore's rapid urban development. It premiered at the Singapore International Film Festival in November 2018. This award propelled Benjamin's Last Day At Katong Swimming Complex for eligibility for the 2019 Academy Awards.[2]

That same year, Chai was chosen to be one of 15 Directors to be part of "15 Shorts: Films For Good" organised by the National Volunteer and Philanthropic Centre. His film Sister is based on the friendship between Catholic nun Sister Gerard and convicted murderer Catherine Tan.

Personal life

Chai is married to Diane Chan.[3] He was educated at Catholic High School and Catholic Junior College.[4] He is a huge fan of Xinyao, and his interest in this influenced him to create the 2013 film That Girl in Pinafore.[4]

Filmography

  • Blood Ties 还魂 (2009)
  • Twisted 撞鬼 (2011)
  • That Girl in Pinafore 我的朋友, 我的同学, 我爱过的一切 (2013)
  • Voice of China - I Want You (2014)
  • Benjamin's Last Day at Katong Swimming Complex (2017)
  • Sister (2019)

References

  1. ^ Lui, John (8 January 2014). "The Life! Interview with Chai Yee Wei: A life of fate, drama and irony". Singapore Press Holdings. The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 10 January 2014. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
  2. ^ hermes (2018-06-19). "Singapore director Chai Yee Wei's first short film in 10 years wins big". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2018-06-19.
  3. ^ Koh, Dan (8 June 2011). "POSKAD: Chai Yee Wei & Diane Chan". Studio Wong Huzir. POSKOD.SG. Archived from the original on 2014-09-05. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
  4. ^ a b Sarah Loh, Genevieve (2013-07-31). "Salute to Singapore: Director Chai Yee Wei's homegrown gem". Today Online. Retrieved 2013-08-12.

POSKOD.SG About his new home

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