I believe I am not alone in my love for cinema. In particular, movies about food. There is nothing that gets my cravings going more than seeing a dish on the big screen—think ramen from Tampopo (1985), or ratatouille from, well, Ratatouille (2007). Imagine my excitement when Not My Mother’s Baking (2020), Studio59 concept’s latest work, was announced in September of 2019. Over a year later, I am pleased to report that the film is finally hitting the cinemas.
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Set in sunny Singapore, the movie aims to push across an authentic and unfiltered representation of the lion city. Local director Remi M. Sali, known for his work in Konpaku (2019), remarks that ‘Not My Mother’s Baking’ will be ‘much bigger’. This is his second cinema piece, joining his other works in TV and web series Ole Ole Tamasya and Kampung Tok Hassan.
Executive producer, Ho Pak Kin, notes, “It’s going to be made for an international audience to showcase who we are from a uniquely Singapore perspective.”
The movie centres around Sarah, whose mother is Celebrity Chef Siti. The plot progresses as she struggles between following her parents’ expectations or listening to her heart. What’s interesting, is that Siti and Sarah are in fact real-life mother-and-daughter! It is indeed thrilling to watch the chemistry between both play out in the film.
On the other side, we are also introduced to Edwin, a Chinese vlogger whose parents run a roast meat stall. The intriguing dynamics fuelling the relationship within both families would illustrate the very real cultural issues amidst Singapore’s social fabric.
‘Not My Mother’s Baking’ hopes to provide an entertaining piece which simultaneously toes the line as it explores important cultural taboos surrounding race and religion. It does so while drawing us in with the most familiar and comforting topic of all: food. Look forward to seeing Singapore’s iconic local delights packed into a delightful 2-hour piece that features romance, comedy and drama.
You can catch the movie from 10 December 2020 onwards at Filmgarde Bugis+. It will be available in Malay, Mandarin, and English. To find out more about the upcoming film, visit their website here.
