A Year of No Significance
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European premiereTheatrical Screenings
Muranów
Kinoteka 1
Online Availability
Additional Materials
Film description
In 1979 Singapore, the life of Lim Cheng Soon, a Chinese-educated architect, unravels as the nation – he once helped to build – rapidly moves towards modernization. Once a pillar in the construction of Singapore's infrastructure, Cheng Soon is now sidelined, struggling to find his place in a world where English has become the dominant language, leaving him behind. As he grapples with the unraveling of his career, tensions with his father and younger brother – who thrives in this new world – mirror the painful changes sweeping through his life and his country.
Director Kelvin Tong weaves this story against the lush, evolving landscape of late 70s Singapore, where tradition and modernity clash at every turn. The film breathes life into the era’s emotional and cultural upheavals, capturing the subtle heartbreak of a man caught in the crosswinds of change. Drawing on Confucian values and the complexities of family dynamics, A Year of No Significance offers a reflection on the quiet sacrifices demanded by progress, creating a meditation on identity, belonging, and the relentless winds of change.
text:
Sara Carotenuto
Kelvin Tong
Acclaimed Singaporean filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer Kelvin Tong began his career as a journalist before transitioning to film in the late 1990s. He rose to prominence with The Maid (2005), a critically and commercially successful horror film that established him as one of Singapore’s top directors. Tong's versatility shines through in a range of genres, from the intense thriller Kidnapper (2010) to the nostalgic drama It’s a Great, Great World (2011), which delves into Singapore’s rich history.
Throughout his career, Tong has explored themes of identity, tradition, and societal transformation, reflecting the evolving Singaporean landscape.
1999 Chī fēng / Eating Air
2005 Nǚyōng / The Maid
2006 Àiqíng gùshì / Love Story
2007 Guǐ-a guǐ-a / Men in White
2007 Zasada nr 1 /Dì Yī Jiè / Rule Number One
2009 Bǎngfěi / Kidnaper
2011 Dà shì jiè / It’s A Great Great World
2012 Óng zhòng wǔ / Dance Dance Dragon
2014 The Faith Of Anna Waters
2023 Rok bez znaczenia / Da feng chui / A Year of No Significance
