Synopsis

A funeral director finds himself hapless when the wrong body has been sent for cremation. When there seems to be no other way, he devises a plan for a sham funeral with the deceased’s three estranged children.

Curator’s Note

Award-winning Singaporean film writer-director Alvin Lee's latest short film "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" tells a dark comedy tale infused with social critique that lingers in the audience's minds even after the film has ended. The movie depicts a funeral home director who mistakenly cremates the wrong body. He then confronts the estranged children of the deceased, who have already told the family and friends about the scheduled ceremony. Director Lee's masterful framing and use of color convey the story's essence without excess exposition. In addition, the incredible line delivery skills of the actors do a great job of showing the absurdity of the entire situation. This intriguing and impressive film has received international critical acclaim and even brought home awards from the Hong Kong Film Festival, and the Singapore International Film Festival, among others. (Pelin Çılgın)

Director’s bio

Alvin Lee is an award-winning writer-director who graduated from the prestigious Beijing Film Academy with a Bachelor's degree in Film Directing. His short films have been screened and won awards at international film festivals, including Busan, Clermont-Ferrand, and China Golden Rooster & Hundred Flowers Film Festival. His latest short film, "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes," has received critical acclaim internationally and won the Jury Prize at the 47th Hong Kong International Film Festival and Best Singapore Short Film at the 33rd Singapore International Film Festival. He is currently preparing his first feature-length film.

Director’s Note

This story is a cumulative memory of my experiences in attending funerals. I realised that funerals nowadays have little to do with the deceased. We often see family members and funeral guests chatting leisurely, discussing business, drinking alcohol and even gambling rather than remembering the one who passed on. Some people even spend a vast sum of money on a lavish funeral, but I can’t help but wonder if it is truly for the deceased or because of saving one’s face for the living. This is a dark comedy film as it presents the absurdity of funeral practice and the hypocrisy of humans in a light-hearted way. In this story, when the family members realise that their father has already been cremated by mistake, they still proceed with the sham funeral because they do not want to lose face in front of their peers, colleagues and relatives. The Chinese always talk about “face” and this film will debate about how important it is and whether it is more important than Filial Piety. I hope the audience will laugh when they watch the film but also ponder after watching when they pick out what resonates with them, and how realistic the narrative is grounded in. My hope for the film is that the audience will learn to make a decision or take action based on what their heart feels is right and not based on what society or others perceive. There are many things in this world that matter more than money and social status. Live for yourself and your family as our time in this world is short.

Festival & Awards

2023: Short Film Competition -Jury Prize, 47th Hong Kong International Film Festival Jury Special Mention Award - Brno 16 International Short Film Festival

2022: Best Singapore Short Film Award, 33rd Singapore International Film Festival Best Short Film Award, 2022 China Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival

Casts

Wang Weiliang , Benjamin Heng , Priscelia Chan, Oon Shu An

Credits

Screenplay Alvin Lee

Cinematographer Chuck Tham Film editor Ewe Shen, Tee Art director Javeus Toh Supervising Sound Editor Lim Ting Li