Simon Yam to star in Singapore-linked film

To be based on writer-director Giddens Ko's book, the movie The Tenants Downstairs will star (from far left) Lee Kang-sheng, Shao Yu-wei and Simon Yam.
To be based on writer-director Giddens Ko's book, the movie The Tenants Downstairs will star (from left) Lee Kang-sheng, Shao Yu-wei and Simon Yam. PHOTO: MM2 ENTERTAINMENT

Singapore-listed regional film producer mm2 Entertainment will be investing in and co-producing an adaptation of a best-selling novel by Giddens Ko, the Taiwanese writer-director of the 2011 box- office hit You Are The Apple Of My Eye.

The Tenants Downstairs, based on the dark thriller novel of the same name, will star award- winning actors Simon Yam, who plays a creepy landlord, and Lee Kang-sheng, who plays a homosexual lessee.

Fresh face Shao Yu-wei plays a mysterious female tenant.

Ko will write the script, Angie Chai will produce and Adam Tsuei will direct. Chai and Tsuei had previously produced You Are The Apple Of My Eye, which was based on Ko's semi-autobiographical novel.

The Tenants novel is known for its shocking content and the film's director and cast said the film will adopt a similar no-holds-barred approach.

In a statement released yesterday, veteran Hong Kong star Yam said: "I've played serial killers and perverts, but being this landlord character is different.

"It's more three-dimensional with multiple layers to his personality. I'm very excited about this, but my biggest challenge is speaking Mandarin."

mm2 Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore- headquartered film producer and distributor mm2 Asia, whose hits include the military-themed Ah Boys To Men movies.

Its Taiwanese partners on the Tenants project are Amazing Film Studio and Star Ritz Productions.

The teaser concept trailer, which cost NT$20 million (S$865,500) to produce, has received more than 111,000 views on YouTube.

The film is slated for a summer 2016 release and will be released in various cuts for film festivals, domestic and international markets.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on October 01, 2015, with the headline Simon Yam to star in Singapore-linked film. Subscribe