Review by Alicia

I am one of the lucky ones who managed to catch Women who love Women: Conversations in Singapore on its third screening. On that day at Bianco, there was the usual pre-screening excitement in the air. I have been to a few lesbian-themed screenings, and it is always crowded with girls and feels like everybody is anticipating something. Maybe it’s because we are so deprived in Singapore. Whatever it is, I just like that feeling of a whole community of women sharing a common space and concentrating on a common thing.

Su-Lin, the producer gave a brief introduction and the screening started without a fuss. The directing and production was simple and basic and suited the subject matter, allowing for focus to be on the interviewees and their conversations. It was very engaging and did not feel like it ran for 65 minutes; and actually that is my only complaint, that it was too short J.

What I really liked about the documentary was its honesty. There was an absolute absence of the producer’s and director’s voice and that allowed the conversations to flow without judgement. The topics raised were plentiful and I think it would be fun if there were spin-offs based on the topics raised.

The interviewees were allowed space and time to tell their stories and it was clear that they felt confident and open with the interviewer and May Ling behind the camera to be able to share whatever they felt like sharing. The conversations were smooth and I did not feel that the interviewees were directed to say the ‘right’ things. There’s a saying that says if you can’t see the work that was done, lots of work must have been done. Given the flow of the entire documentary, I would think that a lot of production work, i.e. good editing and organisation must have been done so that the conversations that were screened were coherent and connected.

The interviewees were well chosen. The interviewees, Swee Jean, Sabrina and Amanda were positive examples for lesbians in Singapore. They showed that they had thought hard and deep about the issues about being gay and out in Singapore. They were not afraid to talk about their family and friends, their relationships and partners, and even sex. Because of their candidness and spontaneity, there were many light-hearted moments, easing what might have been heavy topics.

The Q&A was interesting. People were open with questions and most wanted to find out what was the impact of the documentary and if there are plans for more similar productions. We need more stories, and documentaries.

A documentary it might have been, but it was entertaining and informative. It is also long overdue. Ten percent and more of any population in the world, including Singapore are homosexuals, but we have hitherto been silent. And everyday that passes us by is another day of history and pride that we lose. There are stories out there waiting…

The documentary is a significant contribution to the lesbian community in Singapore because: not only is it the first to document in film the lesbian experience in Singapore, it also represents the first time lesbians are declaring their hitherto invisible and misunderstood lives as women who love women in Singapore. We have a life, a real one, filled with love, laughter and learning - our real-life L word. :)

Alicia