15 Shorts - Stories from the City of Good

Fifteen Singapore filmmakers have come together in a ground-up effort to a show a lesser-told side of Singaporeans from the 1970s to the 1990s. Through 15 Shorts, a collaboration between the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) and Blue3Asia, the 15 film directors will provide an alternative perspective to the nation-building narratives of the era.

Watch these slice-of-life stories from our City of Good, as they unveil how a giving side has always been a part of us as humans.

In the spirit of giving, each director has further dedicated his or her film to a charity in Singapore.

Watch The Films

Letters From Our Executive Producers

“We tell stories so that we may remember who we are and what it means for the generations to come.

The stories of the 15 Shorts are a humble but deeply passionate attempt of a diverse intersection of filmmakers, cause champions, donors and community makers to delve into history and highlight ordinary citizens who exemplify what is and has always been true about the Singapore spirit; a spirit of determination, courage, kindness and sense of common cause despite the often divisive politics of race, class and creed.

The National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre exists to champion a culture of giving and enables citizens, businesses and community organisations to thrive in collaboration for a greater good. As partners and co-creators, we are grateful for the opportunity to work with some of Singapore’s finest creatives as they dedicate their passion and craft to uplift these hidden stories and champion the causes they reveal and represent.

Society will change when our best talents are put to the greatest good.

We hope you will be moved by the spirit behind these stories and make them part of your personal journey.”

Melissa Kwee

CEO of NVPC

“The genesis of 15 Shorts is about telling these lesser-told stories, using the medium of short films, and having someone as renowned as Eric [Khoo] to come together with younger filmmakers, newcomers and the online creators. I took it as a personal challenge to convince 15 diverse local directors to come onboard. Thank you to the directors for agreeing. Thank you NVPC for helping make this project happen. And thank you to my Assistant Producer and production house AMOK, Raymus and Caleb, for uncovering some of the most inspiring stories hidden in our archives!”

Daniel Yun

Founder of Blue3Asia

A Heartfelt Thanks To Our Donors

Established by MCCY, the Cultural Matching Fund (CMF) provides dollar-for-dollar matching grants for private cash donations to registered charities in the arts and heritage sector. The CMF aims to encourage giving to our arts and heritage sector. This will create a more sustainable arts and heritage scene, and one in which more people in Singapore have a stake.

Quantedge Foundation is a philanthropic foundation that aims to deliver impactful solutions to social issues and challenges, by focusing on areas where we can achieve the largest amount of social good per dollar spent.

When it comes to our future, we believe our ideas will only get bigger and better when we work together. That’s why, building on the success of the SG50 Celebratory Fund, we created Our Singapore Fund – a community built around a shared passion for ideas that make us proud to be Singaporean.

And we’d also like to thank:

POSB Bank, Eu Yan Sang International Ltd, Alison Kwee, Ang Kian Seng, Annie Lee Wee Lian, Charlotte Goh, Cheot Xiu Qin Julia, Ernest, Fazli Zainudin, Hah Lee Hui Christina, Hierro Ng Zheng Wei, Juliana Fook, Kwee Liong Tek, Liaw Hock Chuan, Lin Weiliang, Mary Ann Tsao, Ong King Howe, Tan Phuay Miang, Ming, Moses, Shirlyn Wong, Wee Li Lin, Zhai Shuo