Dec. 8, 2023

My Endless Numbered Days Premieres at SGIFF

Shaun Neo's debut feature, My Endless Numbered Days, takes centre stage at the Singapore International Film Festival, offering a poignant exploration of urban alienation in Singapore and Japan. By: Wee Yan Ling

Shaun Neo’s film tells the story of Mitsue, portrayed by Banzai Mitsue as she navigates her return to Japan after a disillusioning stint in Singapore. Having to juggle past connections and new encounters, she finds herself constantly on the move. She yearns for novelty and adventure yet struggles to find a place called home.

 

Neo shared, “The choice of subject for my feature debut was immensely personal. The project started with my personal life as inspiration for what transpires in the final film. I was 28 years old when this film started its principal photography and I think I was mainly concerned about the lack of personal tangible success, relative to my counterparts in Singapore.”

The cast, featuring Mitsue, Yanagi Elisa, and Toritani Hiroyuki, brings life to the characters navigating the complexities of urban life. Neo's choice to delve into urban alienation is deeply rooted in his understanding of the phenomenon as a universal human experience.

He further emphasised on the importance of self-discovery and spending time alone, and shared similar sentiments of renowned filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky.

Produced by Nishida Miyuki and Tetsuhide Mitsumine, the film has amassed attention due to its exploration of urban themes and Neo’s approach to filmmaking, as he utilises minimal scripts and provides actors with directional cues.

Neo has made a remarkable entry with his My Endless Numbered Days and gears up for Terre Di Cinema next year as he will be venturing into shooting on 35mm film.

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