“Tara” Wins “Best Picture” At Experimental Film Forum
Harry Chew’s first feature film has clinched the coveted “Best Picture” and also “Best Documentary Feature” at the Experiential Film Forum 2018.
Harry Chew’s first feature film has clinched the coveted “Best Picture” and also “Best Documentary Feature” at the Experiential Film Forum 2018.
![[Caption: Image from "Tara - – A journey into identity, gender, art and noise”. Chew's last work Ferry in the Midst completed in 2015, won a Platinum Award in Houston Worldfest and had been officially selected in International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema, Berlin 2016.]](https://www.musicpressasia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/cropped-for-website-800x450.png)
[Caption: Image from "Tara - – A journey into identity, gender, art and noise”. Chew's last work Ferry in the Midst completed in 2015, won a Platinum Award in Houston Worldfest and had been officially selected in International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema, Berlin 2016.]
“Tara – A journey into identity, gender, art and noise” the first feature film by Singaporean independent filmmaker Harry Chew has clinched the coveted “Best Picture” and also “Best Documentary Feature” at the Experiential Film Forum 2018– an international film and video art festival showcasing experimental film and artists’ moving image from auteur filmmakers to innovative video artists from around the globe.
The film marks a coming of age for independent Singaporean filmmakers exploring, through artistic expression, issues deemed sensitive or taboo in a wider context of a predominantly conservative Asian-based value discourse.
“Tara” journeys with Marc Chia – a Singaporean professional noise artist based in Europe – who transitions from his life as a husband and son to become Tara Transitory, and live her sense of gender identity expressed.
The production took six years spanning 15 cities. Marc Chia, aka “One Man Nation”, “Tara Transitory”, performs solo, but also travels constantly for artistic collaborations and conversations, creating raw, impulsive and original performances.
She has performed internationally at CTM (Berlin), Donaufestival (Krems), Gaite Lyrique (Paris), Guggenheim Museum (Bilbao), Tokyo Performing Arts Meeting (Yokohama), Museum of Contemporary Art (Taipei) and Wiener Festwochen (Vienna) among others.
Tara is the first feature film Harry has produced and has won the Jury Award for “Best Picture” and “Best Documentary Feature” Award at the Experiential Film Forum.
Music and gender identity are intertwined for Tara, who constantly explores themes of gender+noise+ritual – looking at the ‘lives’ or livelihoods available to trans-feminine people in societies, and the nature of rituals in traditional societies. Her work includes frequent collaborations to create new expressions.
A one-man production house, Harry plays multiple roles as director, editor, cinematographer and producer. “Supertramp Filmmaking” as he calls it, gives his films a distinctive voice with a raw authenticity that only spontaneity and serendipity can capture.
He previously produced three documentaries- all of which participated in international film festivals. His last work Ferry in the Midst completed in 2015, won a Platinum Award in Houston Worldfest and had been officially selected in International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema, Berlin 2016, Hollywood Independent Documentary Filmmakers Festival 2016, Liverpool Lift-off Film Festival 2016 (Online) and Amsterdam Lift-off Film Festival 2016 (Online).
Tara- A journey into identity, gender, art and noise trailers and snippets:
Breaking the Gender Code:
Courage:
Cabaret:
Beyond Pink Dot
