Saving Sungei (2015) is a documentary about displacement, and the will of the Sungei Road hawkers to carry on with their livelihoods amid a bleak future.

 

One man's trash is another man's treasure. This is especially for Mr Koh Ah Koon, who tends secondhand goods at Singapore's oldest flea market - Sungei Road. Presently, Sungei Road faces imminent demolition by 2017 to make way for future residential developments. This move leaves more than 500 street hawkers, mostly pioneer generation elders, distressed as they are highly dependent on selling secondhand goods as a source of income. Saving Sungei made its world premiere at the Sheffield International Documentary Festival in 2015. It was nominated for the student documentary award. It has also be screened in Malaysia, Romania and Singapore. Director and 2DP - Shintaro Tay Editor - Hannah Chua DP - Tan Guan Hao Sound and Music - Soo Ee Ter Producer - Shalyn Chin Supervised by Craig McTurk Online Features: https://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore/documentary-sungei-road-makes-it-sheffield-festival https://www.sindie.sg/2017/08/stop10-aug-2017-saving-sungei-by.html

 

One man's trash is another man's treasure.

This is especially for Mr Koh Eng Koon (affectionately known as Ah Koon), who tended secondhand goods at Singapore's oldest flea market known as Sungei Road.

The film was made before the market faced demolition to make way for future residential developments. It documents the struggle and fights to save the market.

However, the market was subsequently demolished in 2017, leaving more than 500 street hawkers, mostly pioneer generation elders, distressed as they were highly dependent on selling secondhand goods as a source of income.

While fresh patches of grass now occupy the land that was once bustling, many hawkers still visit the surrounding area to remind themselves of a forgotten era.

This student thesis is a homage to the fight to save Sungei Road.

Saving Sungei made its world premiere at the Sheffield International Documentary Festival
in the United Kingdom in 2015 and was nominated for the student documentary award.

It has also been screened in Malaysia, Romania and Singapore.

Director and 2DP - Shintaro Tay
Editor - Hannah Chua
DP - Tan Guan Hao
Sound and Music - Soo Ee Ter
Producer - Shalyn Chin

Supervised by Craig McTurk

Online Features:
https://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore/documentary-sungei-road-makes-it-sheffield-festival
https://www.sindie.sg/2017/08/stop10-aug-2017-saving-sungei-by.html


This documentary was completed as part of final-year coursework at the
Ngee Ann Polytechnic School of Film and Media Studies.