In photos: Singapore Pavilion kicks off monthly movie nights with 'Not My Mother’s Baking'

The rainforest-inspired Singapore Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai launched the first of its monthly film nights on October 12 with award-winning feature 'Not My Mother’s Baking', directed by Remi M Sali, and acclaimed short film 'Adam', directed by Shoki Lin

'Not My Mother’s Baking' plots an unlikely romance between the daughter of a Malay Muslim family and the son of a Taoist Chinese family that runs a popular roast meat hawker stall. Staring father-and-son acting duo Zack and Benjamin Zainal, the film uses comedy to expose the ignorance and cultural insensitivities that are often swept under the carpet in Singapore.

Zack Zainal, a veteran actor now based in Dubai, said: “It is important that this film is about inter-religious and inter-racial harmony. We always take it for granted that people understand each other’s religion, but that’s not the case.”

Since its premiere at the Singapore International Film Festival in 2020, the film has won the Religions Through Women's Eyes Award at the 24th Religion Today Film Festival in Italy.

Zack Zainal said it would be some time before Singapore could hope to emulate the success of South Korea’s film industry, but the country was moving in the right direction. He said: “The desire to have a better film industry is always there. The surge of local Malay film and TV soap operas is a step in the right direction. This movie is just another statement of that.”

Benjamin Zainal said: “This was my first film, and with my father beside me, it was stressful. He has been an actor since before I was born, so I have had the privilege of seeing the differences in the movie and the TV industry in Singapore between then and now.”

'Singapore Film Nights' will continue to stage a short film and a longer featured film for the next five months of the fair at the pavilion's Arena @ Sky Market. Seats are available on a first-come, first-serve basis - no prior registration is required. The films come with English subtitles and screen from 6 to 8pm.

Interested movie-goers can find the screening schedule for the coming months, along with a synopsis of the movie playing on the official website (www.singapore2020expo.gov.sg). On November 9, the pavilion will screen the short film 'Pigeonhole' directed by Mei Fong Lim, and the featured film '7 Letters' directed by Eric Khoo, Boo Junfeng, Jack Neo, Kelvin Tong, K. Rajagopal, Tan Pin Pin and Royston Tan.