Monday, June 30 2003

Kitchen movie chicken soup for the soul
- THE STRAITS TIMES

AGAINST ALL ODDS: Homegrown movie Twilight Kitchen (right) makes it to the big screen after get-ting good reviews at a preview. It is based on real stories.

A-STRAIGHT-TO-VCD movie proved such chicken soup for the soul that it would now be shown on the big screen instead.
Called Twilight Kitchen, the local Mandarin movie about an ex-offender who overcomes the odds to succeed was meant to be shown at grassroots organisations and companies.

But the feature, which was commissioned by the Singapore Corporation Rehabilitative Enterprises (Score), won praise at a preview for employers in March.

Comments like "a very touching story" and "a chicken soup for the soul" surprised and thrilled Mr Jason Wong, Score's chief executive officer, which led to the decision to show it to a wider audience.

The movie is about A Hao, played by former MediaCorp actor Zhang WenXiang, an ex-offender who lands a job at a restaurant which has seen better days.

Initially looked down upon and distrusted by his colleagues, he manages to restore the restaurant's fortune eventually.

The film's subplot features Moses Lim as Minshu, the head chef at a restaurant who is abandoned by his son and daughter-in-law after suffering a stroke.

Other familiar faces like ex-MediaCorp artistes Sean Say, Tang Miaoling, Hong Peixing and Zhu Houren, who also wrote the script for the movie, also star in the show.

While the drama aims to change people's mindsets about offenders and to encourage businesses to employ more of them, Zhu feels that it is also about life in general.

Referring to the food metaphor, he says: "One's life is like a dish, which needs to be shaped and flavoured by a chef. To grow, one needs other people's help and guidance."

Zhu and director Gerald Lee did extensive research for the film, which was based on real stories they had come across while interviewing ex-offenders for an earlier five episode mini-series called Miracle Pub.

Produced by local production company, Gateway Entertainment, the film took four months to make and cost about $250,000, with Gateway and Score sharing the bill.

Many real-life ex-offenders helped in the making of the movie, with as many as 70 of them volunteering to act in the opening scene.

Jason (not his real name) also wrote two songs, Bridge Of Hope and Thank You, for the soundtrack.

The 21-year-old was sent to the Reformative Training Centre in 1999 after he was convicted of rioting.

Released since 2001, he feels that it is hard to change people's prejudice against ex-offenders. Still he thinks that making the film is good move.

"I think the show will give more hope to ex-offenders," he says.


Twilight Kitchen will be shown at Shaw theatres at Beach Road and Century Square, Tampines from July 17 to 30.

There will be a gala premiere at the Botanic Gardens on July 12 at 6 pm, which will be attended by Mrs Goh Chock Tong. Tune in to Channel U to find out how to get tickets to the premiere. Those interested in booking the tickets can call Betsy on 6278-2777.