Edmund Yeo
Encyclopedia
Edmund Yeo is a Malaysian filmmaker based in Tokyo
.
. His father, Eric Yeo, is a film critic and a former exec of Polygram Records, where he produced the albums of the band Alleycats
. His mother, Chik Soon Come, was a pop singer. Yeo moved to Petaling Jaya
, Malaysia with his parents when he was 2.
He completed his Bachelor in Commerce at Murdoch University
in Perth
in 2005, majoring in Marketing and minoring in English Literature. Yeo then chose to enrol in a one-year graduate diploma course in media production at the same university.
Yeo began writing and directing short films in 2008. His first short film, Chicken Rice Mystery, was made in March 2008, just before he moved to Tokyo to continue his Masters
in Waseda University
. The short received a Best Acting Performance award for its lead actress Kimmy Kiew, and also an honourable mention at Malaysia's BMW Shorties 2008 from a jury that included Filipino filmmaker Raymond Red, Malaysian filmmaker Tan Chui Mui
and actress Ida Nerina
. A few months later, Yeo made an experimental short, Fleeting Images, a homage to Sans Soleil
by French director Chris Marker
. The short won the Grand Prix at the 6th CON-CAN Movie Festival
in 2009 from an international jury that consisted of members like the Japanese filmmaker Naomi Kawase.
He began rising to prominence in 2009 by writing and directing Love Suicides and kingyo, two short films loosely adapted from the works of Yasunari Kawabata
. Love Suicides had its world premiere at the Festival Paris Cinéma
2009 and won the Best Director award at the China Mobile Film Festival 2009. kingyo, his first Japanese-language short, was selected for competition at the 66th Venice International Film Festival
. Yeo was the youngest Malaysian filmmaker to ever compete in the prestigious film festival. kingyo later received the Silver Grand Prix and Best New Creator awards at Japan's Eibunren Awards 2009. At the same year, he produced and edited Woo Ming Jin's Woman On Fire Looks For Water, which was also screened at the 66th Venice International Film Festival
.
In 2010, Yeo produced, co-wrote and edited Woo Ming Jin's The Tiger Factory. The Tiger Factory premiered at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival
. Prolific as usual, Yeo directed numerous short films of his own on the same year. He was one of the eight filmmakers for Prada
's Yo Video! Project, directing a one-minute short film called NOW that was streamed on Prada's official website.
Yeo also directed a short film spin-off of The Tiger Factory called Inhalation, which was selected for competition as a standalone short film at Pusan International Film Festival
2010's Wide Angle program. He ended up winning the Sonje Award for Best Asian Short Film. Inhalation was played together with The Tiger Factory at certain festival screenings, like Vancouver, Tokyo, Jakarta and Cinemanila International Film Festivals.
His new short film Exhalation premiered in competition at the Dubai International Film Festival
in December 2010. Exhalation will also screen at the 40th edition of the Rotterdam International Film Festival in January 2011.
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
.
Early life
Yeo was born in SingaporeSingapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. His father, Eric Yeo, is a film critic and a former exec of Polygram Records, where he produced the albums of the band Alleycats
Alleycats
The Alleycats is a Malaysian band which was formed in 1969, and gained popularity in the late 1970s. They consist of musicians from Penang, and gained popularity in their home state earlier on in their career.-Band members:Members include:...
. His mother, Chik Soon Come, was a pop singer. Yeo moved to Petaling Jaya
Petaling Jaya
Petaling Jaya is a Malaysian city originally developed as a satellite township for Kuala Lumpur comprising mostly residential and some industrial areas. It is located in the Petaling district of Selangor with an area of approximately 97.2 km². On 20 June 2006, Petaling Jaya was granted a...
, Malaysia with his parents when he was 2.
He completed his Bachelor in Commerce at Murdoch University
Murdoch University
Murdoch University is a public university based in Perth, Australia. It began operations as the state's second university in 1973, and accepted its first students in 1975...
in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
in 2005, majoring in Marketing and minoring in English Literature. Yeo then chose to enrol in a one-year graduate diploma course in media production at the same university.
Career
In 2007, Yeo joined Greenlight Pictures, the production company of Malaysian filmmaker Woo Ming Jin, and took over producing and editing duties for Woo's film The Elephant and the Sea during post-production.Yeo began writing and directing short films in 2008. His first short film, Chicken Rice Mystery, was made in March 2008, just before he moved to Tokyo to continue his Masters
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in Waseda University
Waseda University
, abbreviated as , is one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan and Asia. Its main campuses are located in the northern part of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as Tokyo Senmon Gakko, the institution was renamed "Waseda University" in 1902. It is known for its liberal climate...
. The short received a Best Acting Performance award for its lead actress Kimmy Kiew, and also an honourable mention at Malaysia's BMW Shorties 2008 from a jury that included Filipino filmmaker Raymond Red, Malaysian filmmaker Tan Chui Mui
Tan Chui Mui
Tan Chui Mui is a Malaysian filmmaker based in Malaysia.In 2007, she received the Tiger Award from the 36th International Film Festival Rotterdam with her debut feature film Love Conquers All. The film had previously won the New Currents Awards and Fipresci Award at the 11th Pusan International...
and actress Ida Nerina
Ida Nerina
Ida Nerina Hussain is a Malaysian actress, producer and director.In 2008, Nerina and friend Tania Khan were selected to race in the reality TV Show The Amazing Race Asia, season 3, where they finished third in Phuket, Thailand....
. A few months later, Yeo made an experimental short, Fleeting Images, a homage to Sans Soleil
Sans Soleil
Sans Soleil is a 1983 French film directed by Chris Marker. The title is from the song cycle Sunless by Modest Mussorgsky...
by French director Chris Marker
Chris Marker
Chris Marker is a French writer, photographer, documentary film director, multimedia artist and film essayist. His best known films are La jetée , A Grin Without a Cat , Sans Soleil and AK , an essay film on the Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa...
. The short won the Grand Prix at the 6th CON-CAN Movie Festival
CON-CAN Movie Festival
CON-CAN Movie Festival is an audience-interactive online international short movie festival which aims to discover hidden creative talent from all over the world, enabling image creators and a global audience to share the underlying messages and sheer creativity expressed in profound short movie...
in 2009 from an international jury that consisted of members like the Japanese filmmaker Naomi Kawase.
He began rising to prominence in 2009 by writing and directing Love Suicides and kingyo, two short films loosely adapted from the works of Yasunari Kawabata
Yasunari Kawabata
was a Japanese short story writer and novelist whose spare, lyrical, subtly-shaded prose works won him the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1968, the first Japanese author to receive the award...
. Love Suicides had its world premiere at the Festival Paris Cinéma
Festival Paris Cinéma
The Festival Paris Cinéma is one of the most recent French movie festivals, started in 2003. It is held annually in July. It was launched in 2003 after the municipal government withdrew funding for Festival du Film de Paris.-Films in Competition 2005:...
2009 and won the Best Director award at the China Mobile Film Festival 2009. kingyo, his first Japanese-language short, was selected for competition at the 66th Venice International Film Festival
66th Venice International Film Festival
The 66th annual Venice Film Festival held in Venice, Italy, was opened on September 2, 2009 by Baarìa - La porta del vento. International competition jury, led by Ang Lee, awarded Leone d'Oro to Lebanon...
. Yeo was the youngest Malaysian filmmaker to ever compete in the prestigious film festival. kingyo later received the Silver Grand Prix and Best New Creator awards at Japan's Eibunren Awards 2009. At the same year, he produced and edited Woo Ming Jin's Woman On Fire Looks For Water, which was also screened at the 66th Venice International Film Festival
66th Venice International Film Festival
The 66th annual Venice Film Festival held in Venice, Italy, was opened on September 2, 2009 by Baarìa - La porta del vento. International competition jury, led by Ang Lee, awarded Leone d'Oro to Lebanon...
.
In 2010, Yeo produced, co-wrote and edited Woo Ming Jin's The Tiger Factory. The Tiger Factory premiered at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival
2010 Cannes Film Festival
The 63rd annual Cannes Film Festival was held from May 12 to May 23, 2010, in Cannes, France. The Cannes Film Festival, hailed as being one of the most recognized and prestigious film festivals worldwide, was founded in 1946. It consists of having films screened in and out of competition during the...
. Prolific as usual, Yeo directed numerous short films of his own on the same year. He was one of the eight filmmakers for Prada
Prada
Prada S.p.A. is an Italian fashion label specializing in luxury goods for men and women , founded by Mario Prada.-Foundations:...
's Yo Video! Project, directing a one-minute short film called NOW that was streamed on Prada's official website.
Yeo also directed a short film spin-off of The Tiger Factory called Inhalation, which was selected for competition as a standalone short film at Pusan International Film Festival
Pusan International Film Festival
Busan International Film Festival , held annually in Haeundae-gu, Busan , South Korea, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia...
2010's Wide Angle program. He ended up winning the Sonje Award for Best Asian Short Film. Inhalation was played together with The Tiger Factory at certain festival screenings, like Vancouver, Tokyo, Jakarta and Cinemanila International Film Festivals.
His new short film Exhalation premiered in competition at the Dubai International Film Festival
Dubai International Film Festival
The Dubai International Film Festival is an international film festival based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Launched in 2004, it aims to foster the growth of filmmaking in the Arab world.-Overview:...
in December 2010. Exhalation will also screen at the 40th edition of the Rotterdam International Film Festival in January 2011.
Director
- Chicken Rice Mystery (2008)
- Fleeting Images (2008)
- Love Suicides (2009)
- kingyo (2009)
- The White Flower (2010)
- Afternoon River, Evening Sky (2010)
- NOW (2010)
- Inhalation (2010)
- Exhalation (2010)
Producer
- The Elephant and the Sea (2007)
- Woman On Fire Looks For Water (2009)
- The Tiger Factory (2010)