The 37th edition of the Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) is set to conclude on November 1 with a screening of ‘Vintage Violence,’ a livestream-era crime caper directed by Eugene Kotlyarenko. The film stars Cole Sprouse and Kiko Mizuhara.
This selection marks a significant return for the festival, reinstating a dedicated closing night event that has not been featured since 2014. ‘Vintage Violence’ originally premiered in the Midnight Madness section at the Toronto Film Festival before making its Asian debut at Singapore’s Capitol Theatre. Both Sprouse and Mizuhara are scheduled to attend the screening alongside the director.
Jeremy Chua, executive director of SGIFF, expressed enthusiasm about reviving the standalone closing event. ‘After more than a decade, we are excited to bring back the festival closing as a moment for audiences to come together for one final film on the big screen,’ Chua said. He described ‘Vintage Violence’ as an unruly and contemporary choice that reflects how technology has reshaped human interaction and perception.
The plot follows a livestreamer named Carter, who discovers a pair of 19th-century Levi’s jeans while exploring an abandoned mine in Colorado. A viewer from Japan, Izumi, informs him that the jeans could sell for a substantial amount in Tokyo’s denim market. However, the scheme spirals out of control when Izumi’s indebted boyfriend involves Edoga, a crime boss obsessed with denim, and an exiled yakuza member equipped with a cybernetic finger that sprays drug mist.
Kotlyarenko, originally from Odessa, relocated to New York where he studied film, philosophy, and literature at Columbia University. His previous directorial works include ‘Wobble Palace’ (2018) and ‘Spree’ (2020), the latter of which also examined online culture. ‘Vintage Violence’ continues this thematic exploration, utilizing split-screen techniques to depict text threads, live streams, and their accompanying chats.
Beyond the premiere, Kotlyarenko, Sprouse, and Mizuhara will participate in an ‘In Conversation With’ session at the National Museum of Singapore on October 31. The discussion will cover the director’s fascination with screen culture, the production process, and the actors’ experiences with screen acting.
The festival’s related programming includes other notable conversations featuring Aamir Khan, Peter Chan, and Shim Eun-kyung on October 22; Koreeda Hirokazu on October 24; and Anthony Wong on October 29. SGIFF kicks off on October 21 with Hur Jin-ho’s ‘The Assassin(s),’ despite pressure from South Korea’s People Power Party to withdraw the film over historical accuracy concerns.
The Singapore International Film Festival is supported by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA).
Interesting choice to premiere again at Capitol Theatre. Does anyone know if tickets are still available for the screening?
I hope the cybernetic finger spraying drug mist is played for laughs. Sounds chaotic in the best way possible.
Wait, a yakuza boss obsessed with vintage denim? That sounds absolutely unhinged and I am here for it.
Glad SGIFF is bringing back the closing night event after such a long hiatus. The venue feels right for this one.