The top prize at the 6th Singapore Short Film Awards went to Last Trip Home, about a father-son pair as they make their way home with a car as their only possession.
The film by Ngee Ann Polytechnic graduate Han Fengyu, 23, won Best Fiction at a ceremony held at The Substation Theatre on Sunday night.
"Mr Han's style is rather similar to Anthony Chen's - he has a very clear idea of what he wants, and the film's tone, acting and cinematography are very well controlled and consistent," said one of the judges, Singapore Film Society vice-chairman David Lee of the winning work. Chen is the director of the Golden Horse-winning film Ilo Ilo.
Among other main prizes, Alvin Lee's film Bon Voyage, about his relationship with his grandmother, bagged both the Best Director and Best Sound awards. The 24-year-old is currently studying at the Beijing Film Academy, and is in Singapore for his school holidays.
Mr Lee said of Bon Voyage: "I like how the film incorporated everyday sounds like flowing water when a tap was turned on, and the acting was natural, too."
Teo Jun Jie, 27, and Lau Xiang Ying, 24, both film major graduates from Nanyang Technological University's School of Art, Design and Media last year, shared the Best Performance prize for their roles in Passenger, about a reunion of two friends who have feelings for each other. Tantalisingly, perhaps, the film does not reveal if they eventually become a couple.
For the first time, a Special Jury Prize was presented to Passenger's director, Tan Kang Sheng, as the judges felt that it was a "fresh, delicate film that took strong risks and creates a magical experience".
The judges also include Tan Chui Mui, film-maker and co-founder of Da Huang Pictures; and film-maker-producer Fran Borgia.
