Chai Yee Wei ( zh, s=蔡于位, p=Cài Yúweì; born 21 June 1976), is a Singaporean film director, writer and producer. He is also the founder o
Mocha Chai Laboratories
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A Little Seed
an authorised Apple

iTunes iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...

aggregator. He also founded production company Hot Cider Films, Japanese curry specialty restaurant Curry Favor, as well as an IT company and wedding photography businesses.

Career

Chai's debut feature film '' Blood Ties'', which premiered on 10 September 2009, was funded under the

Singapore Film Commission Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...

's New Feature Film Fund. Chai had also made countless comedy shorts, such as ''Loser, Lau Sai (Diarrhoea)'' and ''My Blue Heaven'', amongst others. ''Twisted'', released in Malaysia in 2011, is Chai's second feature film. It won "Best Feature" at the 2012 Detroit Nightmare Film Festival and was selected for the 2012 Rhode Island International Horror Film Festival, 2012 Grimm Up North International Horror Film Festival, and 2012 Focus on Asia Fukuoka International Film Festival. '' That Girl in Pinafore'' is Chai's third feature film released in 2013. Set in the 1990s, it is a comedy-musical starring Daren Tan, Julie Tan, Hayley Woo and Jayley Woo. The film premiered at the 2013 Shanghai International Film Festival and shown at the Festival Nits de Oriental, Taoyuan International Film Festival, and Focus on Asia Fukuoka International Film Festival. '' The Voice of China'' producers watched ''That Girl in Pinafore'' in Shanghai and sought Chai to direct a music movie, ''Voice of China Turn You Around'', with the singers from the first two seasons of ''The Voice of China''. The film was pre-sold to the

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and had a limited theatrical release in China in January 2014. In June 2018, Chai was awarded the

Grand Prix George Lucas Award Grand may refer to: People with the name * Grand (surname) * Grand L. Bush (born 1955), American actor * Grand Mixer DXT, American turntablist * Grand Puba (born 1966), American rapper Places * Grand, Oklahoma * Grand, Vosges, village and commu ...

at the 20th Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia for his short film '' Benjamin's Last Day At Katong Swimming Complex'', a wistful, nostalgic story about a young boy's sexual awakening, as well as the impact on our heritage triggered by Singapore's rapid urban development. It premiered at the Singapore International Film Festival in November 2018. This award propelled ''Benjamin's Last Day At Katong Swimming Complex'' for eligibility for the 2019 Academy Awards. That same year, Chai was chosen to be one of 15 Directors to be part of "15 Shorts: Films For Good" organised by the National Volunteer and Philanthropic Centre. His film ''Sister'' is based on the friendship between Catholic nun Sister Gerard and convicted murderer Catherine Tan.

Personal life

Chai is married to Diane Chan. He was educated at Catholic High School and Catholic Junior College. He is a huge fan of Xinyao, and his interest in this influenced him to create the 2013 film '' That Girl in Pinafore''.

Filmography

* '' Blood Ties'' 还魂 (2009) * ''Twisted'' 撞鬼 (2011) * '' That Girl in Pinafore'' 我的朋友, 我的同学, 我爱过的一切 (2013) * ''Voice of China - I Want You'' (2014) * ''Benjamin's Last Day at Katong Swimming Complex'' (2017) * ''Sister'' (2019)

Career

Personal life

Filmography

References

External links