The Day I Lost My Shadow is a three-part film set in three iconic locations within the Little India precinct – Campbell Lane, Race Course Road and Syed Alwi Road. They examine the motif of ‘construction’ in the history of the Little India district. The notion of re-examining history by truth and myth through visual storytelling is the inter-connecting thread between the three-part film. The films will be in black and white where the past is depicted in a theatrical interpretation of indoor sets where scenes are stylishly staged and blocked. On the other hand, the exterior present time will be shot on location that contrasts with the interior. The mise-en-scene of both interior and exterior will be carefully crafted to create an image of time and place. Such juxtaposition would echo the past through the present.The first part of the film, titled Campbell Lane, will draw from the life experiences of Indian pioneer P.Govindasamy Pillai. It will underscore the theme of re-building by presenting the story of a man who was resilient and courageous despite the hardships of his time. The second part, titled Race Course Road, will trace the construction of the Race Course and the contribution of Indian convicts towards this facility; the interactions between the European and Indians on the Race Course, pointing to the presence of multicultural, multi-ethnic groups in what is now known as Little India. The third and final part, titled Syed Alwi Road revolves around the world of cinema. It makes reference to the New World which represents a golden era of entertainment not just in the neighbourhood, but in Singapore. In this part, fictional, documentary and archival footage will form the base material to edit together a film that blends memories from past and present, reality and myth, documentary and fiction.
