{{Family name hatnote|Boo|lang=Chinese}}{{short description|Singaporean filmmaker|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}} {{infobox person | name = Boo Junfeng | image = Boo Junfeng, 2025.png | alt = | caption = Boo in 2025 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|12|04|df=y}} | birth_place = Singapore | alma_mater = Ngee Ann Polytechnic <br> LASALLE College of the Arts | occupation = Filmmaker | years_active = 2004–present | website = {{url|https://boojunfeng.com}} | module = {{Infobox Chinese|child=yes | p = wū jùn fēng }} }}
'''Boo Junfeng''' (Chinese: 巫俊锋; pinyin: wū jùn fēng; born 4 December 1983) is a Singaporean filmmaker. Boo's films, ''Sandcastle'' (2010) and ''Apprentice'' (2016) have been screened at the Cannes Film Festival, beginning with his debut film, ''Sandcastle'', which was an Critics' Week nominee.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/thorny-issues-no-drama|title=How film-maker Boo Junfeng skirts controversy|last=hermes|date=3 September 2018|website=The Straits Times|language=en|access-date=14 August 2019}}</ref>
==Early life and education== Boo is a Singaporean of Chinese ethnicity, belonging to the Hokkien language supgroup.<ref>{{cite web| title=Royston Tan to produce Singapore's first dialect film anthology| url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/royston-tan-to-produce-singapore-s-first-dialect-film-anthology-8810482| quote='I was going to be acting as myself, so I guess it was relatively stress free,' joked Boo, who is Hokkien.| date=2 May 2017| access-date=6 June 2018| archive-date=12 June 2018| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612142017/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/royston-tan-to-produce-singapore-s-first-dialect-film-anthology-8810482| url-status=dead}}</ref> He graduated from the School of Film & Media Studies at Ngee Ann Polytechnic in 2003, and from the Puttnam School of Film, LASALLE College of the Arts, in 2009, where he was accorded the McNally Award for Excellence in the Arts – the valedictorian honour of the college.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kinema: A journal for Film and Audiovisual Media|url=http://www.kinema.uwaterloo.ca/article.php?id=472&feature}}</ref>
== Career == Boo's films, many of which show a preoccupation with places and historical and personal memory, had won prizes and acclaim and had been shown in film festivals around the world.<ref>{{cite web|title=Yesterday.sg|url=http://yesterday.sg/uncategorised/boo-junfeng-on-sandcastle|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111018062726/http://yesterday.sg/uncategorised/boo-junfeng-on-sandcastle/|archivedate=18 October 2011}}</ref> Boo's debut feature film ''Sandcastle'' (2010) was the first Singaporean film to be invited to the Critics' Week section at the Cannes Film Festival.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnngo.com/singapore/life/boo-junfeng-singapores-next-film-making-star-437297|title=CNN Go: Boo Junfeng - Singapore's Next Filmmaking Star|access-date=10 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110913130039/http://www.cnngo.com/singapore/life/boo-junfeng-singapores-next-film-making-star-437297|archive-date=13 September 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/scene/2010/11/19/boo-junfeng-and-sandcastle/|title=The Wall Street Journal: Singaporean Director Is Coming of Age|last=Napolitano|first=Dean|date=19 November 2010}}</ref> Notable short films include ''Un Retrato De Familia'' (2004), ''Katong Fugue'' (2007), ''Keluar Baris'' (2008) and ''Tanjong Rhu'' (2009).
In 2013, Boo won the President's Young Talents Credit Suisse Artist Commissioning Award for a video art piece, ''Mirror''. Later that year, he participated at the Singapore Biennale with ''Happy and Free'', a video installation that depicted a Singapore that remained a part of Malaysia in 2013 and was celebrating the 50th anniversary of the territories' merger.<ref>{{cite web|title=SingaporeBiennale|url=http://singaporebiennale2013.tumblr.com/post/64379513844/artist-interview-with-boo-junfeng}}</ref> Boo's short film, "Parting" was released as part of the omnibus titled ''7 Letters'' (2015) to commemorate Singapore's 50th year of independence.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/movies/story/one-film-singapores-50th-year-seven-top-local-directors-including-eric-khoo-a|title=One film for Singapore's 50th year from seven top local directors, including Eric Khoo and Jack Neo|last1=Chan|first1=Boon|date=20 August 2014|accessdate=3 September 2014|publisher=Singapore Press Holdings|agency=The Straits Times}}</ref>
Boo's second feature film ''Apprentice'' (2016) was selected at the Un Certain Regard section of the 2016 Cannes Film Festival. Executively produced by filmmaker Eric Khoo, the film is a psychological drama about a young Malay correctional officer who is transferred to Singapore's top prison where he befriends its soon-to-retire chief executioner.<ref name="IW">{{cite web|url=http://www.indiewire.com/article/cannes-live-stream-2016-film-festival-lineup-list|title=2016 Cannes Film Festival Announces Lineup|work=IndieWire|date=14 April 2016 |accessdate=14 April 2016}}</ref><ref name="VarCannes">{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2016/film/festivals/cannes-film-festival-official-selection-lineup-2016-1201753269/|title=Cannes 2016: Film Festival Unveils Official Selection Lineup|work=Variety|date=14 April 2016 |accessdate=14 April 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Cremin|first1=Stephen|title=European partners board Boo Junfeng's Apprentice|url=http://www.filmbiz.asia/news/european-partners-board-boo-junfengs-apprentice|accessdate=10 September 2014|agency=Film Business Asia|date=25 February 2014}}</ref> He also revealed in an interview that he is personally against the death penalty in Singapore.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/humanising-the-hangman|title=The world could use more empathy, says Apprentice director Boo Junfeng|website=The Straits Times|date=29 June 2016|access-date=20 August 2021}}</ref>
In 2016, Boo received the Rising Director award at the 21st Busan International Film Festival's Asia Star Awards.<ref name="today">{{cite web|first1=Reena Devi Shanmuga|last1=Retnam|title=Singaporean director Boo Junfeng awarded Rising Director at Busan International Film Festival|url=http://www.todayonline.com/entertainment/movies/singaporean-director-boo-junfeng-awarded-rising-director-busan-international|website=Today|accessdate=19 October 2015|date=7 October 2016}}</ref>
Boo was selected as the creative director of the Singapore National Day Parade in 2018,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/want-reshape-ndp-2018-narrative-move-beyond-propaganda-boo-junfeng-050030706.html|title=NDP 2018 creative director Boo Junfeng: 'Unity' is not just about 'propaganda'|website=www.yahoo.com|date=5 July 2018 |language=en-US|access-date=12 January 2019}}</ref> 2021<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/what-to-expect-at-ndp-2021-and-how-to-catch-it-live |title=WATCH: National Day Parade 2021 |last=Lim |first=Min Zhang |date=21 August 2021 |publisher=The Straits Times |access-date=26 August 2021}}</ref> and Singapore's diamond jubilee in 2025.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hadi |first=Eddino Abdul |date=26 June 2025 |title=NDP 2025: Show at Padang to feature largest mobile stage in parade history |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/ndp-2025-show-at-padang-to-feature-largest-mobile-stage-in-parade-history |access-date=2025-06-27 |work=The Straits Times |language=en |issn=0585-3923}}</ref>
== Filmography == * ''Plague'' (part of ''15 Shorts''; 2018) * ''Apprentice'' (2016) * ''7 Letters'' (omnibus - segment "Parting"; 2015) * ''Sandcastle'' (2010) * ''Tanjong Rhu'' (aka ''The Casuarina Cove'') (short; 2009) * ''Keluar Baris'' / ''Homecoming'' (short; 2008) * ''Bedok Jetty'' (short; 2008) * ''Lucky 7'' (omnibus - segment 3; 2007) * ''Katong Fugue'' (short; 2007) * ''The Changi Murals'' (short; 2006) * ''Guo Ke'' / ''Stranger'' (short; 2004) * ''Un Retrato De Familia'' / ''A Family Portrait'' (short; 2004)
== Awards == *2010 1st Hanoi International Film Festival Best Feature Film and Best Director awards (''Sandcastle'')<ref name=WSJ>{{cite web|last1=Napolitano|first1=Dean|title=Singaporean Director Is Coming of Age|work=Wall Street Journal |date=19 November 2010 |url=https://blogs.wsj.com/scene/2010/11/19/boo-junfeng-and-sandcastle/|accessdate=19 January 2015}}</ref> *2016 [https://www.sportskeeda.com/lifestyle/news-kim-go-eun-s-look-marie-claire-asia-star-awards-2023-wins-internet-she-epitome-timeless-natural-beauty Marie Claire Asia Star Awards]: Rising Director, awarded in the 4th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) (''Apprentice'')<ref name=today />
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{official website|https://boojunfeng.com/}} * {{IMDb name|3008853}}
{{Boo Junfeng}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boo Junfeng}} Category:1983 births Category:Living people Category:Singaporean film directors Category:Singaporean people of Hokkien descent Category:Singaporean screenwriters Category:Lasalle College of the Arts alumni