SINGAPORE - A video that shows the old and the young, men and women, boys and girls, telling their mothers that they love them, is bound to bring a tear or two to your eyes, as it did for many netizens.
The video, an initiative by Jurong Point Shopping Centre to celebrate Mother's Day which falls on May 10 this year, showed people talking to their mothers over the phone in a booth set up in the mall. The video was filmed over two days two weeks ago, and the shots were put together after more than 60 participants called their mothers.
The video started out seemingly awkward, as participants tried to express the reason for calling, and were met with confused reactions from their mothers.
//
Watch What Happens When We Say, "I Love You", To Our Mums!You will smile too, after seeing how they say, "I Love You", to their mums!
Posted by Jurong Point Shopping Centre on Wednesday, 6 May 2015
As the video progressed, however, the words flowed better, and most of the participants could be seen tearing or crying.
Participants told their mothers they loved them, and thanked them, and some even apologised for past wrongdoings. More heartwarming than their professions of love were their mothers' reactions.
One mother said: "This is what Mum has to do. As long as you all grow up well, I will be happy," while another said that a mother's unconditional love is an "instinct".
There was a fair share of funny reactions too. One mother asked her son if he was drunk, another worried mother asked if something was wrong.
Several netizens responded by saying that they cried while watching the video, and also commented, thanking their own mothers.
Facebook user Renee Francene wrote: "So touching... I was crying while watching this... I wish I receive a call like this from my children on this special day."
Ms Camie Chua, Jurong Point's senior marketing and communications manager, said social media company Hash Meta and video production company Arctic Fox conceptualised the video, after adapting it from a video they had seen done elsewhere.
The mall wanted to do something different that would engage shoppers, as they are a community-centric mall, Ms Chua said.
She told The Straits Times about how one participant who was featured briefly in the video took the chance to try to reconcile with her mother. The crew gathered from the conversation that she left the family when she was young because she could not get along with her father. Her mother asked if she was well, how her job was and when she would come back.
The video was put up on Jurong Point's Facebook page on Wednesday, and by Friday morning, had garnered almost 10,000 shares, and more than 260,000 views.
Asked whether she was surprised that the video went viral, Ms Chua said: "I felt touched myself when I saw it, but I wondered how Singaporeans would perceive it. We are very happy and pleasantly surprised at the response. The feedback and comments on our Facebook page have been very very encouraging."
