31/07/2026

Reinventing Merpati by Ruzaini Mazani (2020)

Story: A young woman decides to take a leap of faith but is
stopped by strange encounters that influence her decision.
Narrative: The film begins with Merpati, the young woman,
standing on the edge of a building. She decides to “fly” to
meet with her family who recently died in a plane crash when
she is met by women from different walks of life who come to
stop her with their stories. The film ends with a solidarity
walk across the bridge to the other side.
Style, mood and tone of performance:
a. Inspired by Samuel Beckett and some of Woody Allen movies
b. the reality of the film is real/non-real
c. the acting is heightened but the delivery of lines is
naturalistic
Woody Allen movie references:
a. Manhattan https://youtu.be/J5c93q3gU3w
b. Irrational Man https://youtu.be/IGU-AaqnsH4
c. Café Society https://youtu.be/xD8k_qJuOOY
d. Vicky Christina Barcelona https://youtu.be/4Ur7BmMYiIs

Location of shoot: Within the Supreme Court Wing of the
National Gallery Singapore
Cast
____
(in order of appearance)
Danish Dasuki
Nor Sherina
Koh Ming Yang (Xenon)
Palaruan Jyanne
Tajiyah Sulwana Tajuddin
Mah Wan Yin
Hannah Sonia
Pooja Gajiwala
Noorhidayu Abdul Malek
Hashara Perera
Crew
____
Director
Ruzaini Mazani
Writters
Danish Dasuki
Nor Sherina
Koh Ming Yang (Xenon)
Palaruan Jyanne
Tajiyah Sulwana Tajuddin
Mah Wan Yin
Hannah Sonia
Pooja Gajiwala
Noorhidayu Abdul Malek
Hashara Perera

Script Supervisor
Ruzaini Mazani

Director of Photography
Yusri Shaggy Sapari

Camera Operator
Camille Pasquier

Production Assistant
Lu Yixin

Post Production
Yusri Shaggy Sapari

Production Equipment Support
Paradise Pictures

Songs
"Rebirth"
by Some Were at Sea
from the album "Rebirth"

Special Thanks
______________
National Gallery Singapore
Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts
Collaborative Lab Fund (Nafa)

The work was created in response to the artworks on display in the UOB Southeast Asia Gallery at the National Gallery Singapore

Raden Saleh
Boschbrand (Forest Fire)
1849
Oil on canvas, 300 x 396 cm
Collection of National Gallery Singapore.
This work has been adopted by Yong Hon Kong Foundation.

Raden Saleh
Wounded Lion
c. 1838
Oil on canvas, 88 x 108.5 cm
Collection of National Gallery Singapore

Pablo Baens Santos
Bagong Kristo (New Christ)
1980
Oil on canvas, 122.4 x 86.6 cm
Collection of National Gallery Singapore

Alfredo Manrique
Karampot (Meagre)
c. 1978
Oil on canvas, 59.5 x 102 cm
Collection of National Gallery Singapore
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