Rui En, Lawrence Wong direct short films about shelter dogs
She has always been a cat person.
So when Rui En was asked if she wanted to make a short film about dogs, the local actress was more than apprehensive.
“I’ve worked with animals before, and I know how tough it can be as the shooting can sometimes be entirely dependent on them and their moods,” the 43-year-old told The Straits Times on Oct 3 at the press event of Homebound, an anthology of five short films celebrating stories of resilience, hope and healing surrounding shelter dogs in Singapore.
“I also didn’t want my first directorial effort to be a bad experience,” she added.
Rui En was approached by veteran Singaporean film producer Daniel Yun to be part of Homebound, a collaborative initiative with SOSD, an animal welfare group for dogs in Singapore dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming stray and abandoned dogs.
It will premiere at a charity screening on Oct 30 at Conrad Centennial Singapore at 7pm, and will be streamed on SOSD’s website at a later date.
Rui En’s 15-minute film is titled Bacon, starring local actor Andie Chen and SOSD’s shelter dog, a Singapore Special named Lengzai.
Based on the true story of SOSD founder Siew Tuck Wah and his dog Bacon, it explores the unbreakable bond and the feelings of joy, comfort, companionship and even grief between the owner and his pet.
Rui En called Chen a godsend, knowing she could trust her good friend to help make her directorial debut a success.
“Andie is based in Taiwan, and he readily agreed to be part of my film. We managed to fit in two days of filming when he was back in Singapore. I’m very grateful and indebted to him. It took a load of stress off me,” Rui En said, adding that pre-production took about half a year.
The Oppa, Saranghae! (2023) star said she toyed with the idea of directing someday. So, despite her doubts and fears, making Bacon was a great opportunity to step out of her comfort zone and go behind the camera.
The bonus, she added, was that her canine star had a “catlike” personality, which was great for a cat lady like her.
For Malaysia-born local actor Lawrence Wong, who declines to give his age, directing was never on his plate. But when he agreed to take up the challenge, he speed-dialled Malaysian actress Yeo Yann Yann to be his leading lady.
Wong’s 15-minute short film, Esky, is based on his memories of one of his pets. The animal lover used to have seven dogs and one cat. “Now, I have only five cats,” he said.
Making Esky was eye-opening for Wong, who found fame in China through the 2018 period drama Story Of Yanxi Palace.
“I actually enjoyed the whole process. I did not know how to make a film, so I just went with my instinct,” he said.
Yeo, 47, who has never owned pets, said working with Esky’s star, another Singapore Special shelter dog named Brandon, was a good learning experience.
“Thankfully, Brandon was very responsive to dog treats. I would have treats in my pockets, or Lawrence would put treats on my head when he wanted Brandon to come close to me,” the Golden Horse Award-winning actress recalled.
Tickets to the charity screening of Homebound are available at bit.ly/sosdhomebound. For every donation of $50, the donor will receive one ticket. For more information, go to SOSD’s social media pages.
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