Videos that tug at your heartstrings work. All the time. In a land where nobody makes eye contact on trains and buses, where emoticons replace real emotions, and where our mascot for courtesy had to resign to remind us that kindness shouldn’t be a campaign, the visual medium can be pretty powerful. And it reminds us that somewhere under the nonchalance and the dead eyes, a heart still beats.
Being the year of the venerable SG50, 2015 has seen countless campaigns and promotions trying to cash in on the hallowed event, but how about we step away from the branding and campaigning a little, and bring it back to what it is like being a Singaporean? Here’s a list of all the videos that made us feel warm and fuzzy inside, sans the SG50 brand lurking around like a hovercraft. From animated features to a groovy 60’s songstress, Singapore is well alive in culture, talent, and the feels.
1. You’re The Boy
The 60’s music scene in Singapore was pretty happening. Sort of what we have now, but with groovier fashion. Featuring the vocal stylings of homegrown musician weish, this is one moving and beautiful ‘Based On A True Story’ story. Brava, brava.
2. Home by Homes
Let’s face it. ‘Home’ is everyone’s favourite national song, but in this version it’s sung by people from various homes around Singapore. It’s poignant, bittersweet, and why is my face wet with tears? Well done, StarHub. Continue the tearfest with the Behind-The-Scenes video and remember to hydrate, people.
3. Mud Doll
Elderly lady, check. Cute child, check. Illness, check. Change of heart story, check. This video by the Singapore Kindness Movement did all the right things. There will be a lot of ‘awww’ and sighing and new lessons will be learnt. Like remember to be kind to people la.
4. The Violin
Now we can snort back all the tears and enjoy the grand animated feature that is The Violin. A simple story stretched across 30 years of Singapore history. Watch our lion city unfold and develop in the 16 minutes of the video. Nostalgic and thoughtful — ah, the years just melt away.
5. Red Bean Soup
A love letter to mother, a bowl of red bean soup, and no backing music makes for quite a compelling short film. Be good to your mothers everyone, because one day everything will just be memories.
6. Last Day Of School
No child should ever have to sacrifice their future, no matter what. Powerful and moving, we won’t say much, but leave this guy to explain the amount of feels this video brings:
Seen anything that made you cry recently? Tell us about it.