Film in Singapore! Scheme helps major Chinese serial

Hot on the heels of Bollywood movie, Krrish, which hit the big screens worldwide in June, the Singapore Tourism Board’s Film in Singapore! Scheme has brought yet another production to town – this time, a major Chinese serial called Super Mates.

Super Mates (超级男女), the first major Chinese serial supported under the S$10 million scheme launched in May 2004, started filming in Singapore from 23 June.

Boasting a stellar cast of Chinese and Taiwanese stars, including Hu Bin (胡兵), An Yi Xuan (安以轩), Huang Wei De (黄维德), Xiao Qiang (萧蔷) and Ying Zi (英姿), the serial is produced by Zhou Ya Fang (周雅芳) and helmed by acclaimed director Wu Zong De (伍宗德), shown left.

The serial tells the story of four people who meet under a series of uncanny coincidences to forge lasting relationships and pursue their dreams.

The first 10 episodes of this ‘dramedy’ (drama-cum-comedy) serial were shot in Singapore. They will feature various locations including the Singapore Zoo, Sentosa, Pulau Ubin, Little India, Esplanade, Dempsey Road warehouses and a Housing Development Board (HDB) estate.

Said Mr Edmund Chua, the STB's Regional Director of Greater China: ‘We are excited at the prospect of soon being able to see Singapore through the camera lenses of notable director Wu Zong De (shown in the photo) and look forward to seeing how Director Wu interprets the various local sights to provide a compelling backdrop to his story.

‘Singapore presents a unique blend of the East and West and I believe this is one of the main reasons why Director Wu chose Singapore as a major location in his new production, supported by the Film in Singapore! Scheme, will show viewers just how much Singapore offers in terms of diverse cultures, food and entertainment. We hope viewers will be inspired to visit Singapore and create their own uniquely personal experiences,’ said Mr Chua.

Mr Wu’s past productions include the highly-acclaimed Fen Hong Nü Lang (粉红女郎) and Shuang Xiang Pao (双响炮), both of which were well-received by viewers in Taiwan and China.

‘Singapore is a beautiful country and after the past one and a half weeks of filming, I am just amazed at how one small compact island is able to fit in so much! The lush greenery, the bustling shopping haven at Orchard Road, diverse range of food and cuisine found at every turn and the warm and hospitable Singaporeans whom I’ve met have all left me with a deep and lasting impression,’ said Mr Wu.

In June this year, Singapore welcomed 71,000 People’s Republic of China visitors, making it Singapore’s second visitor generating market. Growing at a month-on-month rate of 16.1% in June, China also posted the highest growth amongst Singapore’s top five visitor source markets.

Super Mates is slated for release in 2007 and will be marketed and distributed in America, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan and Singapore.

To date, the STB has assisted 10 projects under the Film in Singapore! Scheme, including drama serials and movies from China, Germany and India.

These include Krrish, the Rakesh Roshan movie which achieved box office opening records in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Alya, a 13-part Singapore-Indonesia production which will premiere on Jak TV, a regional TV station in Jakarta, and Singapore Dreaming, which premiered at the 19th Singapore International Film Festival on 12 April. 

Find out more about the Film in Singapore! Scheme