Lonely, misunderstood and ridiculed, the mee pok man runs an all-night fish-ball noodle stall in a notorious part of Singapore. His patrons are denizens of the night, a motley assortment of characters from the seamier side of life. Among them is Bunny, a disillusioned prostitute who is controlled by villainous pimp, Mike Kor and his band of hoodlums. Bunny dreams often of escaping her dreary existence and pins her hopes on her sleazy English boyfriend, Jonathan Reese. Unknown to Bunny, the mee pok man is obsessed with her. He sees her as a fragile angel whom he must rescue from the muck and filth she is mired in. An accident brings them together. But just as the two lonely souls begin to connect, Fate intervenes and deals them a cruel hand. Cheated of his happiness, the mee pok man rejects society and dives headlong into a relationship that is at once touching as it is bizarre.
 | Eric Khoo pioneering Singaporean director, screenwriter, and producer. Khoo graduated from the School of Photography at the Sydney College of the Arts. His debut feature Mee Pok Man (1995) made an immediate impact and is regarded as a landmark work in the revival of Singapore cinema, as well as one of the most significant films in the country’s film history. He was also the first Singaporean filmmaker to be selected by multiple major international film festivals, with his works screening in Toronto, Busan, Berlin, Venice, and Cannes, among others. His second feature, 12 Storeys (1997), was selected for the Cannes “Un Certain Regard” section, marking a historic milestone for Singapore cinema. This was followed by Be with Me (2005) and My Magic (2008), both of which were also selected by Cannes, for Directors’ Fortnight and the main competition respectively. In 2007, Khoo was awarded the Cultural Medallion of Singapore, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to cinema. Khoo is known for his realist approach to portraying marginalised communities and working-class lives, often incorporating elements of magical realism. He is also noted for his bold pursuit to push beyond established creative boundaries, continually exploring different genres and international collaborations. These include the Japan-France co-production Ramen Shop (2018), as well as his recent collaboration with French screen icon Catherine Deneuve, Spirit World (2024). | |