Tong was only 19 when his first short film, ‘e’TZAINTES’, made headlines. Four years later, the aspiring director made ‘A Wicked Tale’; its limited run of 1,000 DVDs sold out quickly in early 2006. Sabrina Lee spoke to the local independent filmmaker and scriptwriter about teens, sex and the darker side of fairy tales

Do you consider yourself a ‘cult film’ director?
I’m not sure how I should react to that. It’s definitely flattering considering the fact that most of my influences belong to the category of ‘cult’ – directors like John Waters, Terry Gilliam and Takashi Miike, who may be considered by movie snobs as ‘trashy’, but I’m okay with the association… My definition of cult is ‘acquired’. Some people will turn away from it. Others will be drawn to it, love it, stand by it, remember it, honour it and talk about it years after the film’s been made.

In the opening credits of ‘e’TZAINTES’ there was a declaration that the film was ‘an independent amateur “work of art”’. Why did you say that?
You have to set the tone and the stage right. It is what it is, and I want the audience to be prepared.

You mention that the film ‘portrays youthful idealism at its most reckless’. In retrospect, do you think the film accomplishes that? Or was it merely a mirror of other such coming-ofage movies?
Everything about ‘e’TZAINTES’ – from the story, to the reckless directing style, to the brash camera work, fiercely passionate and sometimes awkward acting, unpolished production values and DIY soundtrack – looks, feels and ‘smells like teen spirit’. Not because it was intended, but because we were genuine teenagers when we made it – teenagers who are not afraid to go out there and get it made. Teenagehood is as much about ‘not knowing’ as it is about ‘learning and experiencing’. I think we ‘lived it’ when we made ‘e’TZAINTES’.

Did the process of making ‘e’TZAINTES’ prepare you in any way for ‘A Wicked Tale’?
‘e’TZAINTES’ was my film school. Everything I learnt about shooting, editing, producing a soundtrack, working with actors and storytelling can be attributed to the short film. It showed my team and me that everything is possible if you are willing to go all the way…to take chances and make sacrifices.

You definitely seem to take chances with ‘A Wicked Tale’ [a take on Little Red Riding Hood]. In your synopsis of the movie, it’s described as being about ‘girls [who] willingly allow themselves to be seduced by monsters…before they “cry wolf”’. Why, then, show ‘Little Red’ (Maria Ng) having sex with the ‘Wolf’ (Johan Ydstrand) after his legs had been cut off?
Isn’t that a spoiler? Hmm…one word: castration. The feeling of being castrated by something you want to devour, something that ends up devouring you. It’s a psychology thing.

What were your reasons behind casting a Caucasian as the Wolf?
It’s the idea of something ‘foreign’ as something sexy and dangerous… something to be curious about. The Wolf does not need to be Caucasian. It just needs to be ‘foreign’, ie ‘not of the same kind’. If you look at the story of Little Red Riding Hood and see it for its sexual undertones, you will notice the bestial chemistry and relationship between the animal and the little girl.

You’re currently working on ‘FAERYVILLE’ – could you give us the gist of what the movie’s about?
All I can say is that it’s going to be something that will change people’s perceptions of what a Singapore film is. You will all hear about it when the time comes.

‘A Wicked Tale’, along with ‘e’TZAINTES’, will be shown at Sinema Old School from 16 Aug; see here for screening times.