a yellow bird A film by K. Rajagopal

World Premiere / France – 2016 – 112 – th HD – 5.1 – 1:1.85 – In Competition at 55 Tamil, Mandarin, English, Hokkien International Critics Week,

références PANTONE : références CMJN : TRES IMPORTANT ! Pantone fluo 814 Violet C=55% ; M=60 ; J=0% ; N=0% Lors de changement d’échel du logo pensez à agrandir et/ou réduir proportionnellement le flou gaussien qui est de 12 pix pour le symbole “alpha” et de 8 pix pour le mot “violet”. CREW CAST

Director Sivakumar Palakrishnan K. Rajagopal Siva Producers Huang Lu Fran Borgia Chen Chen Claire Lajoumard Seema Biswas Jeremy Chua The mother Screenplay Udaya Soundari Jeremy Chua Krupta (the social worker) K. Rajagopal Nithiyia Rao Cinematography Shanti (the wife) Michael Zaw Indra Chandran Editing Suseela Fran Borgia Sound Justin Loh Roman Dymny Production design James Page

– 2 – LOGLINE the address of his ex-wife and daughter. There, he is confronted Siva, a thirty eight year old with a heinous truth. How convicted smuggler, is released far will he go in order to redeem from prison after eight years himself from his guilt? and begins a journey to locate his ex-wife and daughter who DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT have left him without a trace. His quest leads him to a heinous Growing up in multi-racial truth. How far will he go in order Singapore, one is constantly to redeem himself from his guilt? reminded of one’s race – through identity cards, media depictions, education, housing and social SYNOPSIS quotas. These policies that seek to appropriate an individual’s It is an unwelcomed homecoming racial status for racial equality for Siva Sudhakar, a 38 year old and promote tolerance for Singaporean Indian man, who the other, somehow dissolves is released from prison after 8 a collective identity. It is quite years behind bars for contraband instinctive that a Singaporean smuggling. He returns to his primarily identifies himself mother’s flat to learn that by race rather than nationality. his old bedroom has been rented out to migrant workers while My short films have always been his ex-wife and daughter have exploring this voice of the Indian left without a trace. Unable to man in Singapore in a personal find forgiveness from his mother, style of storytelling. I am drawn he begins a quest to locate his to the poetic nature of everyday ex-wife and daughter in order life as an Indian; the liberties, to right the wrongs of his past. oppositions, hopes, fears and An urban vagabond, he finds oppressions. work banging cymbals in a funeral band while he tracks down A Yellow Bird aims to examine people from his life before prison. the position of the “Indian” ​In his lonely journey, he finds in contemporary Singaporean a kindred spirit – Chen Chen, a society. We form 7 percent hostile Chinese woman on a social of a non-homogeneous local visit who works illegally to earn population that is also made money for her debt-ridden family up of Malays, Eurasians and the back in China. They connect when predominant Chinese. The story one day, Siva defends Chen Chen stems from my own experiences from a lecherous band member as an Indian-Singaporean who tries to take advantage where a sense of belonging of her financial need. Isolated and collective consciousness in their harsh realities, they find to my birth nation is frequently comfort in the presence of one questioned and tested. One another. Just as he begins to question I often encounter find solace and hope, he discovers in my own country is “Where

– 3 – are you from?” The Indian person of re-evaluating the state is at times not recognized as in which these migrant workers a Singaporean, but as an outsider. are living in, the government It is common for foreigners have and media attributed the violence the impression that Singapore to abuse of alcohol. To solve belongs to the Chinese and do the problem, an alcoholic ban not see it as a multi-racial country. after 10pm nationwide ensued.

Since an industrial and This is the new social condition economic expansion in the facing the main character Siva. 2000s, there has been a greater He returns to society after eight influx of foreign Indian labourers years in prison to discover a new – New Indians, who come to reality where race and identity work in the construction industry. are​ socio-political and as Just as how the Indians came an ex-convict, he falls into the with the British to construct a new fringes of contemporary society Singapore in the mid-nineteenth where the poor and marginalized century, it seemed that history was live. He has become just repeating itself.​ A tension between like an immigrant, displaced the New Indians and the local psychologically, spatially and population​ has emerged out of temporally. In this world of this shift in population boundaries. outsiders, he searches for his ​ ex-wife and daughter who have Singaporeans avoid social left him. There are hints from contact with these migrant the people he encounters that workers. Their dormitories reduce his past crime has damaged their the land value of residential lives. He embarks on this quest zones. Their industrial dirt and not only for redemption and smells are unwelcome on public salvation from those he loves transportation. Their culture and has hurt, but also for a desire and behavior are in many ways for identity and sense of home. misunderstood and mocked.

On 8 December 2013, Singapore witnessed its first civil riot in 40 years. Migrant Indian workers rose in anger after an accident killed one of their own on the streets of Little India. Many Singaporeans went to social media to vent their frustration. Using derogative terms against the lower-class migrant population and making xenophobic remarks to the Indian race in general. An immediate parliamentary session raised concerns over public outrage and increasing xenophobia. Instead

– 4 – QUESTIONS give him a sense of belonging. Space also controls the other What is the meaning characters. It is an unconscious of the title A Yellow Bird? dictatorial force. For example, the forest is where Chen Chensells The title A Yellow Bird derives her body and hides from the law. from a saying my mother told me as a child. If I saw a yellow Land and space in Singapore, bird, I will soon receive good much like the characters news or meet someone sweet. of the story and their spaces, For me, it represents hope in an are transient. It is the concrete unexpected moment of life. It is world versus the reclaimed almost unreal, you do not know world. The visuals of for sure if it exists. That is why the Singaporean landscape in the film we hardly see a yellow portray the country not bird except one scene where as a commercial modern it is dead. There are also species city but as a small island of birds that would rather kill struggling to find new themselves than live in captivity. space by reclaiming land. Similarly, I question what It is during Siva’s explorations happens when one is forcefully into unmanned territories taken out of his natural habitat? such as the reclaimed shoreline and planted forests where he retreats from the oppression Singapore is often portrayed of the urban spaces to as a bustling modern city yet your find introspection, desires, film mainly takes place in hidden, dreams, identity and ultimately, claustrophobic spaces. What did his destiny. these “other” spaces contribute to your protagonist and his story? Siva’s story is also told through The question of personal space the coming and going of other and the homeland is an important marginalised individuals around motif throughout his journey. him, many living in between right Siva is looking for a utopia. After and wrong. The most poignant being rejected from his mother’s is with Chen Chen where he house, he finds shelter in void begins to find hope. Can you decks and makeshift tents in describe his relationship with her? the forest. Her rejection is parallel to his relationship with the state. I am inspired by the existentialism He does not navigate through depicted in Camus’ L’Étranger modern parts of the city. Instead, as well as Dostoyevsky’s Crime he is drawn to familiar places, and Punishment. The themes nostalgic spaces that have of marginalization, morality and not been taken over by new judgment resonate very strongly developmental projects. Yet the with Siva’s identity as an Indian concrete spaces appear to control ex-convict. He confronts his and imprison him rather than internal conflict of the individual

– 5 – versus the society in his the only thing in the world that search for new meaning. still belongs to him, has been In this journey he encounters destroyed by him. He desires an enigmatic Chinese woman, to break her away from Chen Chen, who is an illegal the oppression of the bedroom sex worker and funeral mourner and experience the world trying to earn money for her that she has been locked out family in China. Her issues about from. Even if he has to break illegal status and the economy of the law, he believes that this the body reflect another prevailing is his only salvation for the both tension between Singaporean of them. In this decision, I want Chinese and the New Chinese to push the spectator to look migrants, who are despised beyond the comfort zone; and discriminated for cultural to explore the soul of modern behaviors that are different from society; to challenge the our social norms. Her relationship perception of the outsider; with Siva develops because by making them question the they uniquely understand decisions that the characters the helpless circumstances make in order to live. Moreover, of each other. It is both pity I also wish for a spectator to and empathy that draws them confront the edges of morality together, to mutually exploit through the difficult and each other for sex, money sometimes corrupted decisions and emotional comfort. Rather of the characters. How does than love, their connection one judge a person’s action comes from an instinct if what they believe to be right, to survive in a harsh world where is illegal in the eyes of the law? they are misjudged by society.

Siva’s journey leads him to an open-ended conclusion that is both brutal and touching. What was your intention to close the film this way?

The journey is realized in the final climatic sequence where Siva discovers that he has caused Pushpa to become paralyzed during an accident as he was escaping from the police eight years ago. He witnesses her broken body that has been trapped in a bedroom for the last eight years, just as he has been locked in prison. He realizes that he has no more redemption -

– 6 – K. RAJAGOPAL BIOGRAPHY Singapore Arts Festival in 2008. In 2012, K. Rajagopal was Born 1965, lives and works a recipient of the New Feature in Singapore. Talent Grant from the Media As a filmmaker, Rajagopal has Development Authority won the Singapore International of Singapore. A Yellow Bird Film Festival’s Special Jury is his first feature film. Prize for 3 consecutive years. I Can’t Sleep Tonight (1995), The Glare (1996) and Absence FILMOGRAPHY (1997) have been featured at international festivals I Can’t Sleep Tonight around the world. Other 1995, 15 mins works include Brother (1997), Winner – Special Jury Prize, which was commissioned 8th Singapore International by the Singapore Arts Festival; Film Festival The New World (2008), commissioned by the National The Glare Museum of Singapore for the 1996, 14 mins launch of their Digital Homeland Winner- Special Jury Prize, Series; as well as Timeless (2010), 9th Singapore International which won Best Cinematography Film Festival and Best Editing at the Singapore Official Selection – st21 Short Film Awards 2011. Hong Kong Film Festival He directed segments in the omnibus films Lucky 7 and Absence 7 Letters with other prominent 1997, 18 mins Singaporean directors that have Winner- Special Jury Prize, been screened at the International 10th Singapore International Film Festival of Rotterdam and Film Festival Busan International Film Festival respectively. He has also Brother written and directed television 1997, 15 mins films, more notable Anita’s Commissioned by the Singapore Complaint and The Boy Who Arts Festival in collaboration Was Not There for the Okto with Theatreworks Channel. Rajagopal also worked on stage for over ten Lucky 7 years. He has collaborated with 2008, exquisite corpse many notable theatre directors Official selection – th37 on projects such as Medea, International Film Festival Mother Courage, Caucasian Rotterdam Chalk Circle, Beauty World and Private Parts. After an 11-year The New World hiatus, he appeared in the role 2008, 13 mins of King Lear in The King Commissioned by the Digital Lear Project at Kunsten Festival Homeland Series of Singapore Des Arts in Brussels and at the Art Museum

– 7 – Tiny Toones Silent Screams (Acid attack 2009, TV documentary victims in India and Cambodia) Commissioned by Channel 2014, TV documentary News Asia Commissioned by Channel In Competition – Best News Asia Documentary, 15th Asian In Competition – Best Television Awards Documentary, 19th Asian Television Awards Asia at War 2009, TV documentary The Flame Commissioned by The History 2015, 15 mins Channel Commissioned by the Media Development Authority Timeless of Singapore for SG50 2010, 18 mins Official Selection – th20 Busan Commissioned by the National International Film Festival Museum of Singapore Won – Best Cinematography, Best Editing, 2nd Singapore Short Film Awards In Competition – 57th Oberhausen Film Festival Official Selection –th 7 Short Cuts

Asia Exposed 2010-2011, TV documentary Commissioned by Channel News Asia Official Selection – th50 New York Film Festival

Varanasi/ Jaipur (City Time Traveller) 2014, TV documentary Commissioned by Channel News Asia Special Mention – Best Info-documentary, 19th Asian Television Awards

– 8 – PRODUCTION COMPANIES

Akanga Film Asia is an Acrobates Films is a French independent production production company set up in company created in 2005 2002, dedicated to feature films of in Singapore to produce quality new talents with strong cinematic films by the new generation vision and contemporary issues. of Asian filmmakers. Our projects Our recent co-productions aim to create a cultural link include: Blood Appears by Pablo between Asia and the rest Fendrik awarded at Cannes Critics’ of the world. Titles produced by Week 2008, Bi, Don’t Be Afraid! by Akanga include Ho Tzu Nyen’s Phan Dang Di awarded at Cannes Here (Cannes Directors’ Fortnight Critics’ Week 2010; Adrift by Bui 2009), Boo Junfeng’s Sandcastle Thac Chuyen awarded at Venice (Cannes Critics’ Week 2010), Orizzonti 2009; Mekong Stories Vladimir Todorovic’s Disappearing by Phan Dang Di, International Landscape (Rotterdam 2013), Selection Berlinale 2015; Christine Molloy & Joe Lawlor’s A Yellow Bird by K. Rajagopal Mister John (Edinburgh 2013), (Cannes Critics’ Week 2016). Lav Diaz’s A Lullaby To The Sorrowful Mystery (Berlin Acrobates Films Competition 2016 – Silver Claire Lajoumard Bear Alfred Bauer Prize), Boo 49 Rue des Poissonniers Junfeng’s Apprentice (Cannes 75018 Paris Un Certain Regard 2016) www.acrobatesfilms.fr and K. Rajagopal’s A Yellow Bird [email protected] (Cannes Critics’ Week 2016).

Akanga Film Asia Potocol is a Singapore-based 35 Kelantan Lane, #02-02 film company focused on the Singapore 208652 co-production of Asian short www.akangafilm.com and feature films. Our first projects [email protected] released in 2016 are Hele sa hiwagang Hapis (A Lullaby to the Sorrowful Mystery) by Lav Diaz in Competition at 66th Berlinale; A Yellow Bird by K. Rajagopal in Competition at 55th International Critics Week and Kapatiran (Brotherhood) by Pepe Diokno in Official Selection at 51st Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

Potocol 2 Marina Boulevard, #52-06 Singapore 018987 www.potocol.co [email protected]

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