Singapore’s film industry will (finally) go through a transformation with Geylang, an action-thriller neo-noir film is set in the infamous red-light district.
In his interview with AsiaOne, Mark Lee shared how he sat down with people in the trade to understand his character, the director’s dedication to the scene and the various stories he’s heard.
Geylang – Gritty Neo-Noir Film
Geylang is the infamous red-light district of Singapore, and that’s where Lee’s next movie will be set in.
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The film shows five seemingly unlinked stories—surrounding crime, sex, guilt, violence and perversion—that takes place all in one night.
Other than Lee, Sheila Sim, Shane Mardjuki and Taiwanese actress Patricia Lin also stars in the movie.
Manager of Prostitution
Playing the role of a “foul-mouth” pimp, Lee shared how he sat down with a former pimp, or what he calls, a “manager of prostitution”, for a few hours.
The stories he’s heard, he describes, would drive you to tears.
Unlike South Korea’s depiction of pimps, which usually shows an unsavoury male abusing his girls and forcing them to make more money at the expense of their well-being, the stories Lee heard was on the other end of the spectrum.
They really take care of their girls, Lee said, and would encourage them to find someone to settle down with.
“Their lives are so exciting, and some of their experiences will even bring you to tears.”
Some managers would even help their girls find partners.
In fact, some of them had such great relationships with their pimps that they would bring their kids to visit them after getting married and having a child.
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“After chatting with them about the lives of prostitutes and their own experiences, I realised how little we know – we are like frogs in a well.
“Their lives are so exciting, and some of their experiences will even bring you to tears.”
Lee also met with a triad boss to learn about the trade and the district as well.
Famous People Have Urges Too
During the interview, Lee almost named a few famous figures in Singapore who visited brothels, but managed to stop himself in time.
Before ending the topic, however, Lee did confirm that some of the figures were seen on TV or in newspapers before.
Be Prepared For A Different Singapore Movie
One thing that made Lee happy to be in the movie, Lee said, is the director’s dedication to the movie.
A lot of equipment was brought in for the shoot, Lee remembered, and the director showed Lee plenty of fresh camera angles that he’s not seen before.
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The various scenes in the movie will speak to people, he said.
For people in Singapore who are used to movies like Ah Boys to Men or Diam Diam Era, Lee guarantees that Geylang will bring a new perspective and filmography to the film industry in Singapore.
For those who are interested, the movie is expected to be released in the fourth quarter of 2022.
You can watch the AsiaOne‘s interview in full here.
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Feature Image: Screengrab from AsiaOne E-Junkies video
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