Singapore’s renowned film maker, Royston Tan, has released a new short film, Kaki, on colorectal cancer, which is Singapore’s number 1 cancer. While some may not think colorectal cancer makes for a compelling film plot, Tan’s work has a very loyal local following and his films are regularly featured at the top international festivals, including 12 Lotus, 4:30 and 881.
Kaki is the latest in a series of films made by Tan with the support of Singapore’s Health Promotion Board. Each of them are beautiful and fun, with a mix of much-loved characters from Singapore’s unique city street life. So far Tan and the HPB have made films and TV campaigns on a wide range of issues, including dementia, smoking, breast cancer, HIV/AIDS and obesity.
The HPB’s programs demonstrate that at the heart of effective campaigns are good stories, told by professional storytellers like Royston Tan. This is especially important with diseases like colorectal cancer which are almost invisible to most people. With Singapore’s ageing population and increasing rates of obesity, here’s hoping that Tan and the HPB continue to tell good stories together.
