But then this is followed by a harrowing, gritty hand-held sequence showing us how the drugs are trafficked. Another sequence shows a beautifully shot drug-taking experience, filmed in a similar light to desirable products in adverts. One sequence follows a boy with his friends seeking to find a suitable building from which he can leap to his death, commenting on the rising suicide rates of children in school. Abandoned by disintegrating value-systems, such as their schools and families, the boys drift through an aimless routine of skipping school, dealing drugs, indulging in tattoos and piercings, not to mention other ills of consumer-focused societies. Tan's exploration of the alienated and disturbing lives of five fifteen year-olds on the glossy streets of Singapore's metropolis provides a chilling insight into the degradation of overlooked fringes in a wealthy Westernized society. Royston Tan's nihilistic attitude towards the traditions of both his country and the filmmaking process within have attracted more attention to the film than it probably deserves - although how can one turn down an invitation to view a film considered "a threat to national security" by the Singaporean censorship board? The notoriously controversial 15 has finally broken out of its native Singapore and into the eyes of the rest of the world.
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March 2023
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