As is tradition, there have been many patriotic and emotional videos and short films released in the run up to National Day. This year, however, Viddsee has put out a short film that is quite unlike any national day-related video you’ve seen before.

As the final installment of their Scene City anthology of short films, ‘A Spectacular Sight’ follows the story of a young girl named Lynn who is struggling to welcome her stepmother into her life. Tragedy strikes as the dysfunctional family heads out to watch the fireworks at the National Day Parade, forcing Lynn to re-evaluate her relationship with her family.

Directed by Rifyal Giffari and starring Yuslina Yussof as Lynn and Miss Hyu™ as the stepmother, Maria, the short film is unusual in its relation to national day. The focus on family, unity, and acceptance is what ties the film together with the broader concept of national pride holding up the background. It’s a real human story about the realities and complexities of a modern family.

[iframe id=”https://www.viddsee.com/player/t5osp”]

In an interview, Rifyal talks to Viddsee about the idea behind the short film saying that the subject of a National Day film is very “nationalistic, patriotic and loaded”. Though pitching the idea of a national day film without hearing the national day song or seeing the parade seemed like a joke at first, Rifyal eventually go into it.

“My family actually likes National Day a lot. Growing up, my family would always go out to watch the fireworks. We were pretty good at finding surprising spots to view the fireworks. It’s corny, on the nose, and strange to me now as an adult. Fireworks are special. They trigger awe and wonder in my monkey brain. They’re elementally transcendent, going straight to your primal roots. Explosions? In the heavens? Pretty cool when I was a kid, still cool now. Last year, I found myself by the stadium with my girlfriend, watching the damn fireworks. (It’s not the) marching processions, dance choreographies, sports hero cameos and National Day song reboot. To me, the crux of National Day is gathering and being close with your loved ones.”

A Spectacular Sight is the final part of ‘Scene City’, an anthology of short films that explore city life through vignettes of the people who live in them. You can watch the entire series at www.viddsee.com

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