PRCS 2024 - Prelim - O Level - QP - Final Version

[TURN OVER PASIR RIS CREST SECONDARY SCHOOL Preliminary Examination 2024 Secondary Four Express / Five Normal (Academic) CANDIDATE NAME CLASS / INDEX NUMBER HUMANITIES 2260/01, 2261/01, 2262/01, 2272/01, 2273/01 Paper 1 Social Studies 19 August 2024 1 hour 45 minutes READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST Write your name, class and index number on the question paper. Write in dark blue or black pen. Do not use staples, paper clips, highlighters, glue or correction fluid. Section A Answer all questions. Section B Answer both questions. At the end of the examination, fasten Sections A and B separately. The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question. The total number of marks for this paper is 50. Total (50 marks) Parent’s Signature This document consists of 9 printed pages (including the cover page).

2 Section A (Source-Based Case Study) Question 1 is compulsory for all candidates. Being Part of a Globalised World Study the Background Information and the sources carefully, and then answer all the questions. You may use any of the sources to help you answer the questions, in addition to those sources which you are told to use. In answering the questions, you should use your knowledge of the issue to help you interpret and evaluate the sources. (1) Study Source A. What is the message of this source? Explain your answer. [5] (2) Study Sources B and C. How different are these sources? Explain your answer. [6] (3) Study Sources D and E. Having read Source D, are you surprised by Source E? Explain your answer. [7] (4) Study Source F. How useful is this source as evidence about the Singapore film industry’s ability to compete in a globalised world ? Explain your answer. [7] (5) “Government support is the best way to ensure the success of Singapore’s film industry.” Using the sources in this case study, explain how far you would agree with this statement. [10]

3 [TURN OVER Can Singapore’s film industry compete in a globalised world? BACKGROUND INFORMATION Read this carefully. It may help you to answer some of the questions. Once dubbed the Hollywood of Southeast Asia, Singapore’s filmmaking industry was a formidable presence in the region from the late 1940s to the early 1970s. However, interest in Singaporean films dwindled since then as audiences’ attention were diverted to foreign productions, notably those from Hollywood. In the past decade, there has been a resurgence in Singaporean cinema. Leading this resurgence is a new breed of Singaporean film makers who have won accolades at renowned international film festivals such as the Cannes International Film Festival and the Academy Awards (Oscars). These notable achievements were also a result of the efforts of The Singapore Film Commission (SFC), a division under the Info -communications Media Development Authority (IMDA), a statutory board under the Ministry of Communications and Information. The SF C and IMDA’s main role is to support and promote Singapore film through funding, training and public education. Study the following sources to assess whether Singapore’s film industry can compete in a globalised world.

4 [TURN OVER Source A: From an online magazine from the Netherlands which covers topics like globalisation. The magazine featured the poster of Singaporean feature film, Ilo Ilo; the first local film to win an award at the international Cannes Film Festival. The film was als o selected as the Singaporean entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 86th Academy Awards, 2013.

5 [TURN OVER Source B: From a press release by the IMDA on Singapore films, 2024. Source C: From an online post by a Singaporean published on an American forum website, 2022. We are ecstatic that Singapore’s talents have continued with our strong showing last year to once again make their mark at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival. More films produced by Singapore talents have been given the opportunity to shine at the prestigio us annual event this year. These include two feature films - Viet and Nam, which was co -produced by Singaporean producer Lai Weijie and Mongrel by Singaporean director Chiang Wei Liang. Both films have been purchased for global distribution by one of the b iggest independent French movie distributors. This demonstrates the confidence that the distributors have in the quality of the two films and reflects SFC’s and IMDA’s success in supporting our local media talents and productions on the global stage. To date, we have had over 30 projects by Singaporeans premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, which is remarkable for a small city -state like Singapore. It’s honestly very disappointing because the local films can only be appreciated by Singaporeans and few countries around Singapore. The reason Hollywood films are a success even in countries where the audiences are non -English speaking, is not only because they have money but because they have invested years and years on improving storytelling, script writing, filming, editing, acting, etc. I believe one day Singapore can be a major film industry if we spend some time working on it. The government should provide sufficient funding and make collaborative deals with other A-list companies like Netflix to distribute films created by us to be viewed around the world. Local film makers should also learn from Hollywood so that the standard of local films will be upgraded. Someday, I hope that I will be telling my children that we should check out the latest local film instead of another Hollywood film.

6 [TURN OVER Source D: From a report by the IMDA on Singapore cinema which highlights the performance of foreign and local films in terms of ticket sales, 2022. Source E: From an article published in a local newspaper, 2018. With the international success of Ilo Ilo, winning the Camera d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and the best feature film at the 50 th Golden Horse Awards, followed by more global accolades for other local films, we can safely say Singapore filmmaking has come of age. A recent independent survey shows that over 80 per cent of Singaporeans think it is important to support local films. Yet less than 30 per cent of Singaporeans have seen a Singapore film in the last year. In a country where Hollywood titles dominate, our homemade films are shut out because they do not have the funds to compete for visibility. Ultimately, Singaporeans must want to watch a Singapore film. And this comes down to taking pride in the made-in-Singapore label.

7 [TURN OVER Source F: From an interview with a Singaporean film researcher and editor of a local film journal published on the website of Singapore Global Network, a division under the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s Economic Development Board which aims to promote and connect Singapore and Singaporeans to the global community, 2020. I feel a country as small as Singapore is really punching above its weight. The Singapore film scene is at an interesting stage of their development with great potential for global eminence. Singapore films have obtained global prominence with critically a cclaimed productions such as Anthony Chen’s Ilo Ilo. There is also currently more active government support in funding for film production here. This