Experiencing Interruptions?

Cannonball

Frank and Lily, partners by chance and circumstance, set off on a wild journey in their search for a mystical character known as the Sunbathing Dog. They encounter oddball characters, strange places and new sounds... but will they ever find what they’re looking for?

Cannonball is a conceptual docu-fiction film, following Singaporean art rock band ARE on their album tour through Australia, featuring performances by other acts in Australia’s experimental music scene. The first self-produced feature film by a Singaporean band, the film was based on the music of the Cannonball album and the album was based on the film that was to be made on the tour. It is an exploration into presenting and creating work in unreality and the subconscious.

  • Mark Chua
    Director, Writer, Producer
  • Lam Li Shuen
    Director, Writer, Producer
  • Frank Lee
    Key Cast
    "Frank Lee"
  • Lily Ma
    Key Cast
    "Lily Ma"
  • Shoeb Ahmad
    Key Cast
    "Sia Xray"
  • Michael Kearney
    Key Cast
    "Wiseman"
  • Project Type:
    Experimental, Feature
  • Genres:
    Music, Road Film, Experimental, Docu-fiction
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 5 minutes 57 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    November 1, 2018
  • Country of Origin:
    Singapore
  • Country of Filming:
    Australia, Singapore
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1.85:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • 29th Singapore International Film Festival
    Singapore
    Singapore
    December 2, 2018
    World Premiere
    Official Selection
  • 10th Queens World Film Festival
    New York
    United States
    March 20, 2020
    International Premiere
    Official Selection
  • 13th Arizona Underground Film Festival
    Tucson, Arizona
    United States
    September 11, 2020
    Official Selection
Director Biography

Mark Chua and Lam Li Shuen are filmmakers and musicians based in Singapore whose work explores the possibilities of resistance in the presentation and production of narrativity. Their directorial work with Emoumie includes independent narrative and documentary films, shot in Asia, Australasia and Europe. As part of their work with the moving image and sonic art, the duo has also presented works and performances in sound and film in Iceland, Japan, Australia and Singapore.

In 2019, their narrative feature Revolution Launderette (信念のメリーゴーランド) premiered at the 30th Singapore International Film Festival. Their debut docu-fiction feature Cannonball also premiered at the 29th Singapore International Film Festival in 2018. Their narrative shorts have been screened at the Darwin International Film Festival (2019), Binisaya Film Festival (2019) and Freedom Film Festival (2017).

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Cannonball is a conceptual film made during the tour of the Cannonball album by Singapore-based art rock band ARE. The film travels through underground arts spaces in Australia and Singapore, featuring the experimental musicians and artists encountered along the way. Inspired in part by writings by Artaud, Surrealist work and films like Zachariah (1971) and Renaldo and Clara (1978), it is a labor of love between friends in cinema, music and art.

The film is about the desire for meaning to sequences and reflections of/on Truth and Fiction. An absurd chase through clarity that found ambiguous twists training the eye back on the point where it all started. What spurred us on this endeavour was the joy of the subconscious elucidations - opening new ground and perspective - that we found in conversation and engagement with people in unreality. It was produced spontaneously to allow the capturing of the scenes, the cast - everyone involved, including ourselves producing the film, in a subconscious relationality shared between us.

We would like to present an attempt for Cinema in unreality, to kindred souls. A love letter to independent cinema and music!