12 STOREYS BY ERIC KHOO - A Intense , Compelling, Moving And Most Importantly A "Thinking" Film !

As the poster of the film says... 12 Storeys is a film that has Desire , Hatred and Lust all woven amazingly well by the craftsmanship of the director Eric Khoo.

Eric Takes up the theme of urban isolation and alienation in modern Singapore. Four sets of narratives – ‘Sister’s Keeper’, ‘San San’, ‘China Bride’ and ‘Spirit’ – are built and set within one Housing Development Block (HDB) block, all of which come together to portray a day in the lives of the ordinary. In ‘Sister’s Keeper’, a domineering eldest brother, Meng, attempts to put his rebellious younger sister, Trixie, and little brother, Tee, through the wringer while their parents are away. Meng’s persistent interrogation of Trixie’s personal life leads ultimately to something far more explosive. ‘San San’ tells the story of a woman who lives with only suicide on her mind. Fat, silent, and alone, she constantly hears the ghost of her mother upbraid her as she used to when she was alive. Ah Gu, a middle-aged man, brings home a pretty young wife, Lili, from China in ‘China Bride’, only to find himself struggling to cope with her high material expectations. Their relationship is caught in mounting frustration and disappointment, especially as they realize their expectations does not map onto reality. 

There is also the story of ‘Spirit’, about how the ghost of a young man makes his rounds, observing the rest of the households after he has jumped from that very block of flats. 



Khoo effectively weaves the four narratives together to create a binding and grittily realistic commentary on the banal and everyday tragedy of Singaporean life, wherein communication between and among people breaks down and fails. The tragic condition is mostly played out through communication, its displaced form as well as its absence.

Loneliness, pain and suffering plague the characters as they reach for the unattainable, only to be stifled by constricting social forces, and their aspirations and desires thwarted and unfulfilled. Where in the end, Khoo’s film does illustrate a general sense of redemption in a poignant show of how suffering is embraced, hope, however, ultimately remains deferred, a blur that eludes real understanding and grasp.  

Thanks To Everyone @ The Singapore Film Festival - Mumbai for showcasing such brilliant movies and for being such warm and lovely hosts  :-) 

P.S. - The Festival Enters It's Final Day Today 21st April , 2015 - More Information can be found @ there FaceBook Page... Be Sure To Check It out  The Singapore Film Festival - Mumbai's FaceBook Page


Cheers ! 

Jeetendra Mehra (Bunny) - AKA The BUNNYMAN !