Ho Tzu Nyen: director of Here

Thirty-two-year-old visual artist Ho Tzu Nyen always had his sights set on directing a feature film. Having it screened at the Cannes Film Festival was beyond his wildest dreams. With a narrative that disperses and gathers much like a David Lynch brainteaser, Here is the result of an entire constellation of factors and one very trusting filmmaker.

Why open and end with an act of murder?

The act is key to the film. Its repetition is something that our main protagonist has to undergo; in order to release his past he has to relive the crime. The same goes for the audience as they experience the film.

Do you think that the audience would get the importance?

I don’t believe in trying to predict what the local audience can or cannot get, I trust their intelligence and their sense of adventure. I believe that if you really love your audience, you respect them and demand the most of them

How do your local and foreign audiences’ reactions differ?

It’s hard to gauge or even define a difference. When Here was screened at Cannes in May, a high concentration of people who saw it worked in the film industry or something related. When you speak to them, you’re basically analysing cinema. In Singapore, your audience won’t necessarily come from that industry. But you do get a nice surprise every now and then when a ‘non-professional’ gives you their analysis of your film…

What’s your definition of reality and illusion? Are you as confused as your characters?

I believe in the illusion of reality and the reality of illusion. I’m not confused but at the same time I recognise that there is no clear line separating the two. In this film, we try to continuously shift this line for the spectator. One viewer actually thought my actors were real mental patients and that this was a documentary.

Any comparisons with the movie Caché by Michael Haneke?

Haneke is one of my favourite directors and I’m a great believer in the power of influence. He has a precision and coldness to the way he operates the camera, which is something that I work towards; especially the still shots and use of off-screen space, which Haneke is the master of.

Tell us a little about your current project, Endless Day.

It’s an action film inspired by a film entitled A Touch of Zen (1969) made by Hong Kong director King Hu. The treatment of action is such that you can feel the physicality involved with the fight scenes, when you see the protagonist actually panting. Until today I still think it’s one of the greatest martial arts films ever made. Endless Day is a mix between Robinson Crusoe, The Blue Lagoon and A Touch of Zen. It’ll be filmed entirely in Singapore.

What are your hopes for Here’s local screening?

We don’t intentionally make films difficult, but at the same time because we love our audience we do not want to dumb the film down. This film is very different from a lot of local productions. It’s a different kind of cinematic experience: from the way the film’s shot, the narrative, the use of sound, and the use of images. I hope that audiences will be open-minded and adventurous enough to give it a shot.

Here is screening at The Picturehouse now.