1. Support The Projector’s new initiative

Yep we’re thrilled that independent cinema The Projector is back in the game after four months of absence. That said, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. According to general manager Prashant Somosundram, the ongoing Covid-19 capacity restrictions have reduced to their operating abilities to a meagre 13 per cent of their usual standard. This means that even though customers are flocking back, it might not be enough to sustain the cinema in the long run – which is why they’ve just introduced The Projector Plus, a permanent pay-per-view streaming service (directly integrated into the main Projector website).

You can expect the same careful curation of crowd-pleasers and arthouse works that people have come to love The Projector for. At the moment, there are 24 films available, including perennial classics such as the bawdy food comedy Tampopo, a selection of Chinese auteur Zhang Yimou’s early works from the ’90s, as well as more contemporary fare in the form of American comedy Support The Girls – one of President Obama’s top picks for 2018. While you’re at it, you can also order food and drinks from their in-house bar – all conveniently located on their website as a one-stop-shop portal for a complete film experience at home. Get clicking.

Ongoing 

2. Clock this exhibition by two up-and-coming photographers

The Mirror Experiments (2020). Photo: Rifdi bin Rosly

Photography mecca DECK has recently reopened with a prime exhibition titled A Self I Once Knew. It features the works of two young photographers, Fitri Ya’akob and Rifdi bin Rosly, who are the 2019 recipients of the prestigious Kwek Leng Joo Prize of Excellence in Photography.

The exhibition and works by the duo address a deeply poignant topic: the desire to hold onto or to recapture a familiarity within one’s self which has been lost. As young creatives moving past the comforts of school to develop their nascent artistic careers, this exploration of identity definitely makes sense, especially when you consider that one’s sense of self is always fluctuating – caught between the innate image we have of ourselves and the one imposed onto us via uncontrollable external factors such as social constructs.

On now until August 7 at DECK, 120A Prinsep Street

3. Check out Comic-Con at home

The world’s biggest convention for pop culture geeks usually draws hundreds of thousands to San Diego. It has been cancelled for the first time in its 50 year history but the good news is you can catch most of the panels online. Aside from the comics, Comic-Con has grown to be such a juggernaut that major Hollywood studios have come to debut unseen footage or announce new shows/movies there before anywhere else.

There are more than 350 talks and panels available on Comic-Con’s official YouTube channel and one we’re looking forward to is the much-anticipated horror piece The New Mutants (a younger group of mutants in the X-Men universe) which has been in limbo since the star-studded cast, which includes the likes of Game of Thrones‘ Maisie Williams and Stranger Things‘ Charlie Heaton, wrapped up filming way back in 2017. The New Mutants is slated for release end August – let’s just hope it doesn’t get pushed back again.

On now until July 26; check out the full line-up here

4. Tune in to a meaningful post-election discussion

Most would agree that the General Election 2020 represented a watershed moment in Singapore’s history; political literacy and social activism appeared to have reached new heights and audiences, thanks in part to social media. But the work doesn’t end now that the election is over: join in this panel discussion to make sense of the results and get a sense of how civil society can move forward post-election.

Hosted by independent publisher Ethos Books, the talk features many powerhouse personalities occupying various roles in Singapore’s civil society. They include Professor Teo Yeo Yenn, author of the hugely popular sociological book This is What Inequality Looks Like, noted playwright Alfian Sa’at, Margaret Thomas, founding member of women’s rights non-profit organisation Aware, and more.

July 26, 8pm. The talk will be live-streamed here

5. Check out Lucali BYBG

Legendary New York pizza joint Lucali has loyal fans. Famed for their chewy thin-crust pizzas, it’s Beyonce and Jay-Z’s go-to when they’re in town and it’s no secret that the Singapore outpost (a collaboration between Lucali founder Mark Iacono and Singapore-based hospitality guru Gibran Baydoun) has been in the works for some time now. (For the uninitiated, it’s located at the same Kampong Bugis building Kilo used to occupy). Up until now, they’ve been offering a delivery menu (sans pizza) but now they’re finally open for business. Will Lucali BYGB taste as good as the original? Only one way to find out.

Make your reservations here

Cover Photo Prayer | A Plea (2020) / Fitri Ya’akob