by: Ravi Philemon/
According to Sina News, Actor Tony Leung Chiu Wai will play the role of former-Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew in a movie to be jointly-produced in Hong Kong and Singapore titled, “1965”.
Developed jointly by Homerun pictures and We picture, Lee Kuan Yew’s struggle for the independence of Singapore will be the inspiration for this movie.
The film will try and showcase the ninety days of turmoil, the ethnic strife and the political struggle which led to the forming of modern Singapore in 1965.
To be produced at a budget of US five million dollars and directed jointly by Hong Kong’s Peter Chan and Singapore’s Lee Thean Jeen, it is planned to be screened before Singapore’s National Day in 2012.
On its website, Homerun Asia says that it will be produced “in the same vein as the western political thrillers such as ‘Munich’ and ‘Empire of the Sun’.”
With a star cast of Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung and Oscar-nominee Julian Moore, the producers hope to to rewrite Singapore’s film history. The mainly Asian team of producers, writers and researchers attached to the movie, hope to create an intense and compelling narrative of a South East Asian political drama never told on the big screen.
The producers are in talks to film live the 2011 National Day Parade, which they hope to include in the movie, to create a sense of realism to the movie.
The leading watch retail chain City Chain has reportedly agreed to sponsor 1 million dollars towards the making of 1965.
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Note: This article was edited on July 14, at 6.35 pm after it was first published.
