AN INSIDE GAZE

Beyond his critically acclaimed films, Boo Junfeng is looking to increase the reach of home‑grown film and animation talents in Singapore and the world

- Hashirin Nurin Hashimi

It was a show that captured the imaginations of many. For those who watched this year’s National Day Parade (NDP)—postponed to nearly two weeks after Singapore’s 56th birthday on August 9 due to Covid-19 restrictions—chances are, you would have seen the animated film by local studio Robot Playground Media, featuring the stories of Singaporeans across generations.

Home-grown animation was a big part of this year’s celebration of the Singapore spirit—and this was the bold vision of creative director Boo Junfeng come to life. “There are many talents in Singapore that we sometimes overlook,” he says. “The animators know how to tell a good story and, with the right guidance and direction, are more than capable of creating world-class work.”

And Singaporeans were in collective awe. “Many said they’ve never seen Singapore being represented like that before, and that they’ve never seen this kind of animation with this kind of artistry being done here,” shares the filmmaker, who last helmed the NDP in 2018.