12 Lotus
| 12 Lotus | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Traditional Chinese | 十二蓮花 |
| Simplified Chinese | 十二莲花 |
| Hanyu Pinyin | Shí'èr liánhuā |
| Directed by | |
| Written by |
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| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Alan Yap |
| Edited by |
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| Music by | Ricky Ho |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | |
Release date |
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Running time | 121 minutes |
| Country |
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| Languages |
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| Budget | S$$1.5 million[1] |
| Box office | S$983,000[2] |
12 Lotus (Chinese: 十二莲花) is a 2008 Singaporean musical drama film written and directed by Royston Tan, starring Qi Yuwu, Liu Lingling and Mindee Ong.[3] The film was released in theatres on 14 August 2008 and was screened at the 13th Busan International Film Festival in October 2008.[4] The film performed poorly at the local box office, grossing S$983,000 against a budget of S$$1.5 million.
Plot
[edit]Spanning over the 1980s, 1990s till the present day, 12 Lotus tells the story of a singer who is constantly used and abused by the men in her life, against the backdrop of a string of melancholic Hokkien songs.
Cast
[edit]Main and supporting
[edit]- Qi Yuwu as Ah Long / Long 2
- Liu Lingling as Older Liu Lianhua
- Mindee Ong as Liu Lianhua
- Huang Yiliang as Lianhua's father
- Hao Hao as Adult Xiao Feixia
- Li Bao En as Liu Lianhua (kid)
- Damus Lim as Xiao Feixia (kid)
- Aaron Tan as Young gambler / Ah Long's accomplice
- Yeo Yann Yann as Long 2's girlfriend
- Guo Min as Xiao Feixia's mother
- Auntie Fen as Opera actress
- Sam Loo as Getai host
- Amy Yang as Getai host
- Baobei Sisters as themselves
- Samantha Tan as Xiao Feixia's girlfriend
- Wang Yan Bin as Brother Tiger
The film also features the Sin Sai Feng opera troupe and the band Funkie Monkies Amps.
Special appearances
[edit]- Stefanie Sun as Goddess of Mercy (opera). Tan initially planned to have a real opera actress to play the role but eventually decided to cast Sun.[5]
- David Gan as himself.
Production
[edit]The film was shot in 23 days.[6]
Sun's role as Goddess of Mercy was kept a secret and her scene was filmed at 3am on 1 March at a kampung set constructed on an open field in Paya Lebar. Due to the secrecy of her involvement, less than five crew members were on scene.[5]
Sun's goddess costume was custom tailored for her and handsewn in Taiwan, costing $5,000 with Ong's lotus dress costing $6,000.[5]
Awards and nominations
[edit]| Year | Awards | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 45th Golden Horse Awards | Best Original Film Score | Ricky Ho | Nominated | [7] |
| 2009 | 22nd Singapore International Film Festival Awards | Best Director | Royston Tan | Won | [8] |
References
[edit]- ↑ "12 Lotus (2008) || movieXclusive.com". www.moviexclusive.com. Archived from the original on 29 July 2023. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
- ↑ "12 Lotus loss out". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. No. Page 107. The Straits Times. 27 September 2008. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
- ↑ "Getai life takes centre stage again". The Business Times. No. Page 33. 15 August 2008. p. 34.
- ↑ "12 Lotus". Busan International Film Festival. Archived from the original on 29 July 2023. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
- 1 2 3 Chang, May Choon (18 August 2008). "Sun Goddess / Her costume in 12 Lotus costs $5,000". The New Paper. pp. 23–25.
- ↑ "Well done, Royston". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. No. Page 99. The Straits Times. 16 August 2008. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
- ↑ "台北金馬影展 Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival". www.goldenhorse.org.tw (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Archived from the original on 29 July 2023. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
- ↑ "22nd SIFF Silver Screen Awards - Results". Sinema.SG. 24 April 2009. Archived from the original on 29 July 2023. Retrieved 29 July 2023.