A veteran of several short and documentary subjects, feature film Anshul Tiwari is making its world premiere at the Panorama Scene of the Singapore International Film Festival.
In the film, a rebellious female student and a reticent middle-aged gynecologist, both of Indian descent, form an unlikely bond as they each encounter a life-altering accident.
“Being a documentary filmmaker in the region has given me a unique insight and access to civil society in Singapore. The writer, Dipasmita Dasgupta, has created a narrative about the disparity between working and upper-class Singaporeans of Indian descent. She and I talk a lot about sisterhood and how being a best friend Sometimes a woman is another woman though [her] Tiwari said diverse. People often talk about fault lines wherein Singapore’s diversity has clear boundaries despite sharing the same area. But we saw a different side of Singapore where the mixing of cultures is so normal, it’s not even a moot point. We have depicted a Singapore where the Indian community is not seen as outsiders but rather rooted in this land and works with the complexity of Singapore’s social mores.”
The film is produced by Tiwari’s FilmsPositive and NutzAboutMe, directed by Namita Lal. “Film financing is always a challenge, and it was especially so during times of COVID. But we were fortunate that the writer, director and I were able to work as a close team, as we were all in Singapore, and put together a plan and budget that was tight but achievable. We were helped by a few friendly investors who joined us to support my first NutzAboutMe production in Singapore,” Lal said diverse.
Lal also plays a major role in the film and is no stranger to acting and producing simultaneously. Her dual credits include Quilt: The Quilt and Oxygen.
For me being a producer has really helped me as an actor and vice versa. Being involved with the film from pre-development through script, shooting, publishing, marketing and sales has given me a deep sense of the different aspects of making a film, and the challenges faced by the director and the team. Lal said.
The film’s cast also includes Gauraangi Chopra and Adrian Pang.
Lal is writing and developing a feature film about the lives of three women who travel from Singapore to India with life-changing results. Tiwari is part of the new group for the British Independent Film Awards’ Springboard programme, working with a global mentor to prepare his next film to be shot in India starring Kirti Kulhari. Dasgupta and Tiwari are also collaborating via FilmsPositive for an experimental psychological fantasy that will re-imagin a play by Jean-Paul Sartre. Principal photography will likely begin in 2023.
The movie “Before Life After Death” premiered on November 26.
