SCENE UnSEEN

2021, 93 min, DCP, Singapore, 1.77:1 Documentary , 5.1 Sound, In English

Synopsis:

Scene Unseen is about the to create, no matter what the circumstances. it uncovers the little-known story of the independent music scene in Singapore. Musicians tell a remarkable tale of idealism, discrimination and disillusion, as they create new spaces in the perfectly-organized city state for pure freedom of expression.

In 2015 and 2016, alternative musicians came together to celebrate their independence. the film is structured around their raw performances, interspersed with freshly unearthed archival footage and conversations with key figures who built the scene and then kept it alive. In the early-70s Singapore's underground scene was suppressed with devastating consequences for local live music. it was given a lifeline in the early-80s by alternative radio then re-emerged from its dark age in the early-90s when local musicians and gig organizers embraced the DIY ethos and a new era of punk and other alternative genres exploded.

About the Director:

Abdul Nizam was a Singaporean independent musician and filmmaker who played in the pioneering local bands NoNames and The Oddfellows. Many of his films premiered at SGIFF, with Datura winning Best Singapore Short Film in 1999. Following Nizam's death in 2016, that year's SGIFF screened a special selection of his works in tribute to him.