Certain Deaths

Directed by Wayne Lim

In fast-paced Singapore, people must die in order to live. Piecing together vignettes of disparate individuals, Certain Deaths is a portrait of Singapore told through the lens of metaphorical deaths experienced by its people. As they navigate transformative life experiences — from academic stress to sacrifices made out of familial love; from the assertion of gender identity to the quiet introspection of old age — the film explores the tension between the nation’s celebrated longevity and the personal tolls that accompany it. How do we persist in spite of the weight of life? Meeting each individual where they are, the 17-minute documentary ultimately forms a meditation on time, purpose, and mortality in Singapore.