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Controversial Director Denied Entry to Singapore for World Premiere

Chinese authorities block Guo Zhenming, director of Tedious Days and Nights, from attending the Singapore International Film Festival premiere amid concerns over his activism and previous detainment. By: Wee Yan Ling

Chinese director Guo Zhenming has been barred from leaving China to travel to Singapore for the world premiere of his documentary, Tedious Days and Nights at the Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF). This has resulted in the organisers to proceed with the screening despite the filmmaker’s absence.

The film is slated to play on 4 December as part of the festival’s Standpoint strand with a Q&A session with the director. Guo’s film delves into the lives of the individuals left behind amidst the country’s economic boom. The film also covers the sensitive topic of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre which is highly taboo up till today.

Guo’s passport was destroyed in May by the authorities of Yunnan Province. They quoted the restriction order that was imposed on him in Lijiang. He had further revealed that he is unable to attend the highly anticipated premier as his attempts to obtain a new passport were futile.

The rise of Guo’s troubles does not lie in the content of his film but rather the comments he had made about the white paper movement. The director was also detained for “picking quarrels and provoking trouble”, which is a term that is vaguely used to counter the activists, lawyers and media workers.

Guo is also a signatory to an online petition advocating for the rights of women, which was the result of the harrowing case of human trafficking and wrongful imprisonment in Jiangsu Province. Despite the entire ordeal, SGIFF is determined in its effort to showcase the director’s film to the international audience while emphasising on their commitment to freedom of expression.

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