The Sandbox screening with just 7 moviegoers sparks discussion on support for Singapore films仅有7名观众的Sandbox放映会引发了关于支持新加坡电影的讨论。
After the surprise appearance, cast members Nathan Hartono and Fauzi Azzhar urged audiences to support Singapore films in cinemas rather than wait for streaming releases, sparking discussions about cinema attendance, streaming habits and the challenges facing local filmmakers.
新闻视频
After the surprise appearance, cast members Nathan Hartono and Fauzi Azzhar urged audiences to support Singapore films in cinemas rather than wait for streaming releases, sparking discussions about cinema attendance, streaming habits and the challenges facing local filmmakers.
The cast members of local film The Sandbox made a surprise appearance during one of the cinema screenings, which had only seven attendees. (Photo: Instagram/@nathanhartono)
This audio is generated by an AI tool.
A surprise appearance by the cast of Singapore film The Sandbox at a cinema screening took a turn when they discovered that only seven people were in the audience – an incident that has since sparked a wider conversation online about support for Singapore films, with actors and filmmakers encouraging audiences to watch local productions in cinemas rather than wait for them to arrive on streaming platforms.
Released in Singapore cinemas last Thursday (Oct 8), The Sandbox is a fictional mockumentary-style comedy written and directed by Singapore-based filmmaker James Thoo.
The film follows a struggling local stunt school that gets an unexpected boost after rumours emerge that Marvel Studios is looking to cast its next superhero from Singapore, attracting a wave of aspiring actors and superhero hopefuls.
Its ensemble cast includes singer-songwriters Nathan Hartono and Benjamin Kheng, actresses Oon Shu An and Xuan Ong, and actors Fauzi Azzhar, Peps Goh and Jon Cancio.
On Friday (Oct 9), Hartono, who plays an ambitious acting student named Dennis D Wong, shared an Instagram video of himself and several cast members making a surprise appearance at a cinema screening after the film ended.
When they entered the theatre, however, they found just seven moviegoers.
Despite the small turnout, Hartono and fellow cast members Fauzi, Ong and Tiffany Yong thanked the audience for watching and encouraged them to recommend the film to their friends and families.
"This is the reality of releasing independent films in Singapore," Hartono wrote in the caption. "All the good intentions in the world can never replace butts in seats."
Fauzi, who plays Syafiq Hakim, a perfectionist former Ministry of Education employee, also expressed his appreciation for those who attended.
"Seven people showed up and that meant the world to me still," he commented on Hartono's post.
Following the screening, Fauzi shared another video addressing a question he said he had frequently received from friends and followers: When would The Sandbox be available on Netflix or other streaming platforms?
"I know we all love convenience. But I wish Singaporeans understood this about making films: Not every Singaporean film is guaranteed a streaming release," he said, explaining that factors such as production budgets and distribution arrangements can affect whether a film eventually becomes available on streaming services.
"If we then keep waiting for films to appear on streaming platforms instead of supporting them in cinemas, how do we then expect our local film industry to grow? We cannot keep asking for more Singaporean stories if we're not showing up for the ones being made now."
View this post on Instagram
The videos and the surrounding discourse has drawn mixed responses from social media users.
Some agreed with the actors, arguing that Singapore films deserve greater attention and appreciation, particularly for their depictions of familiar places, languages and experiences.
One commenter said that while they enjoyed Hollywood blockbusters, Singapore films offered something different because of the opportunity to see local stories and everyday life represented on the big screen.
Others, however, pointed to a different problems: awareness and habit.
In a discussion on the r/singapore Reddit community, several users said they had not heard of The Sandbox before the reports about the seven-person screening circulated online, questioning whether the film had received enough publicity.
Meanwhile, others noted that changing viewing habits and the convenience of streaming services have affected cinema attendance more broadly, not just for Singapore productions.
"People don't even watch Hollywood blockbusters in the cinema, what more local movies?" a Reddit user wrote.
SUPPORTING LOCAL STORIES THROUGH FILM
Singapore filmmaker Boo Junfeng, known for directing Sandcastle and Apprentice, also joined the conversation, encouraging audiences to support the range of local films currently screening in cinemas.
"The thing about first films is that each one represents a lifelong dream coming true," he wrote on Instagram on Sunday (Oct 11).
Boo highlighted several Singapore productions, including Ervin Han's animated film The Violinist, the drama Pace, The Sandbox and Anthony Chen's We Are All Strangers.
"Just pick any two of these four local titles showing this weekend, and I'm quite sure they'll change your perception of what Singapore films are or can be," he wrote.
He also echoed Fauzi's appeal for audiences to support local films during their theatrical runs.
"And please stop asking if they will show up on Netflix. The films and filmmakers actually need you to show up for them at the cinemas; if not, none of this is gonna be sustainable. So go lah... try lah... don't wait already lah..."
The Sandbox is now showing in theatres across Singapore, including select Golden Village and Eaglewings Cinematics locations.
A single handpicked story that we think you shouldn't miss. Just one a day.
在惊喜亮相之后，演员 Nathan Hartono 和 Fauzi Azzhar 呼吁观众在电影院支持新加坡电影，而不是等待流媒体发行，这引发了关于电影院上座率、流媒体习惯以及本地电影制作人面临的挑战的讨论。
本地电影《沙盒》的演员们惊喜现身一场仅有七名观众的影院放映会。（图片：Instagram/@nathanhartono）
这段音频由人工智能工具生成。
新加坡电影《沙盒》的演员们惊喜现身电影院放映会，却发现现场只有七位观众——这一事件随后在网上引发了关于支持新加坡电影的广泛讨论，演员和电影制作人鼓励观众去电影院观看本地制作的电影，而不是等待它们上线流媒体平台。
《沙盒》于上周四（10 月 8 日）在新加坡影院上映，这是一部由新加坡电影人 James Thoo 编剧和导演的虚构伪纪录片风格喜剧。
这部电影讲述了一所苦苦挣扎的当地特技学校，在有传言称漫威影业打算从新加坡选角其下一位超级英雄后，意外地获得了发展动力，吸引了一大批有抱负的演员和超级英雄的梦想者。
其演员阵容包括创作型歌手 Nathan Hartono 和 Benjamin Kheng、女演员 Oon Shu An 和 Xu Ong，以及演员 Fauzi Azzhar、Peps Goh 和 Jon Cancio。
10 月 9 日星期五，饰演雄心勃勃的表演系学生 Dennis D Wong 的 Hartono 在 Instagram 上分享了一段视频，视频中他和几位演员在电影结束后惊喜现身电影院放映会。
然而，当他们进入剧院时，却发现只有七名观众。
尽管到场人数不多，哈托诺和剧组其他成员法兹、翁和蒂芙尼·杨还是感谢观众的观看，并鼓励他们向朋友和家人推荐这部电影。
“这就是在新加坡发行独立电影的现实，”哈托诺在配文中写道。“再美好的愿望也弥补不了观众的缺席。”
饰演完美主义者、前教育部雇员沙菲克·哈基姆的福齐也对到场人士表示感谢。
“有七个人到场，这对我来说意义非凡，”他在哈托诺的帖子下评论道。
放映结束后，Fauzi 分享了另一段视频，回答了他经常从朋友和粉丝那里收到的一个问题：《沙盒》何时会在 Netflix 或其他流媒体平台上线？
“我知道我们都喜欢便利。但我希望新加坡人能理解电影制作的这一点：并非每一部新加坡电影都能保证在流媒体平台上线，”他解释说，制作预算和发行安排等因素都会影响一部电影最终能否在流媒体服务上播放。
“如果我们继续等待电影上线流媒体平台，而不是去电影院支持它们，我们又如何指望本地电影产业发展壮大呢？如果我们不去支持现在正在制作的电影，就不能一直要求制作更多新加坡题材的电影。”
在 Instagram 上查看此帖子
这些视频及其引发的讨论在社交媒体用户中引起了不同的反响。
一些人赞同演员们的观点，认为新加坡电影值得更多关注和赞赏，尤其是在描绘熟悉的地方、语言和经历方面。
一位评论者表示，虽然他们喜欢好莱坞大片，但新加坡电影却有所不同，因为有机会在大银幕上看到本土故事和日常生活。
然而，其他人则指出了不同的问题：意识和习惯。
在 r/singapore Reddit 社区的一次讨论中，几位用户表示，在有关七人放映会的报道在网上流传之前，他们从未听说过《沙盒》这部电影，并质疑该电影是否得到了足够的宣传。
与此同时，也有人指出，观影习惯的改变和流媒体服务的便利性对电影院的上座率产生了更广泛的影响，而不仅仅局限于新加坡的电影。
一位Reddit用户写道：“人们连好莱坞大片都不去电影院看，更何况是本土电影呢？”
通过电影支持本地故事
曾执导《沙堡》和《学徒》等影片的新加坡电影人巫俊峰也加入了讨论，鼓励观众支持目前正在影院上映的各种本土电影。
“第一部电影的意义在于，每一部都代表着毕生梦想的实现，”他在周日（10 月 11 日）在 Instagram 上写道。
Boo重点介绍了多部新加坡制作的作品，包括韩尔文的动画电影《小提琴家》、剧情片《节奏》、电影《沙盒》以及陈秋生的《我们都是陌生人》。
“本周末上映的这四部本地电影中，随便挑两部，我敢肯定它们会改变你对新加坡电影的看法。”他写道。
他也响应了福齐的呼吁，希望观众在本土电影上映期间给予支持。
“还有，别再问电影会不会在Netflix上线了。电影和电影人真的需要你们去电影院支持他们；不然，这一切都无法持续下去。所以，快去吧……试试吧……别再等了……”
《沙盒》目前正在新加坡各地的影院上映，包括部分 Golden Village 和 Eaglewings Cinematics 影院。
每天一篇，我们精心挑选一篇您不容错过的精彩故事。