Sing to the Dawn (2008 film)

{{More citations needed|date=March 2021}} {{Use British English|date=April 2025}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox film | name = Sing to the Dawn | image = | alt = | caption = | director = Philip Mitchell | producer = Mike Wiluan Phil Mitchell Phillip Stamp Chan Pui Yin Nia Dinata | starring = Celine Rosa Tan Lim Kay Siu Andrew Lua Neo Swee Lin Jason Chan Denise Tan Jamie Meldrum | music = Tze Chin Toh Aghi Narottama Bemby Gusti Ramondo Gascaro | editing = Phil Mitchell | studio = Infinite Frameworks Studios Mediacorp Raintree Pictures Media Development Authority Scorpio East Pictures | distributor = Golden Village Entertainment Mediacorp Raintree Pictures Kalyana Shira Film Indika Pictures | released = {{Film date|df=yes|2008|10|30|Singapore|2009|9|16|Indonesia}} | runtime = 93 minutes | country = Singapore Indonesia | language = English Indonesian | budget = $5 million<ref name="IFW"/> | gross = }} '''''Sing to the Dawn''''' is a 2008 Singaporean animated musical drama film. The film was produced by Infinite Frameworks, a Batam-based animation studio, Mediacorp Raintree Pictures, Media Development Authority and Scorpio East Pictures. It is loosely adapted from the short story by Minfong Ho that was first published in 1975.

The film was released on 30 October 2008 in Singapore, and later in Korea, Malaysia and Russia. It has screened at ''Pusan International Film Festival'' in South Korea and Santa Monica, USA.<ref name="IFW">{{cite web|url=http://blog.frameworks-studios.com/?cat=17|title=Ulasan di situs Studio Infinite Frameworks|last=|first=|language=id|date=August 20, 2009|access-date=November 28, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091011103311/http://blog.frameworks-studios.com/?cat=17|archive-date=11 October 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref>

An Indonesian dub of the film, named ''Meraih Mimpi (Dream On),'' was released on 16 September 2009.

== Synopsis ==

Dawan is a teenage girl who lives with her brother, father and grandmother in a small village in Batam.

Pairot is an entrepreneur and cruel landlord who is visually styled after Elvis Presley. Pairot extorts the villagers with an oppressive land tax. He claims to own the entire land of the village, and tells the villagers that he has a document from King Ramelan, the former ruler of the village. The village is unaware that Pairot is planning to evict the villagers and destroy the village to build a city with hotels and casinos.

After learning about Pairot's evil plans, Dana, with the help of her sister, struggle to save her beloved village. With help from Grandfather Wiwien, Dana tries to find the King's original will.

As a woman, Dawan's life is filled with difficulties and sadness. Dana is forced by her father to follow the village's patriarchal tradition. Her father has wanted to marry her off to Pairot's son, Benz.

Dawan and Kai are assisted by a group of jungle animals who can talk to each other, including bird parrots named Kakatu, crow named Minah, lizards, and bear named Tante Bear.

Accompanied by their animal friends, Dawan and Kai win scholarships and thwart the landlord's plan.

== Voice cast == {| class="wikitable" align="center" ! Character !! Voiced by English !! Voiced by Indonesian !! Information |- | Dawan/Dana || Celina Rosa Tan || Gita Gutawa || Protagonist who is a dreamer, but smart and brave fighter |- | Kai/Rai || Andrew Lua || Patton Otlivio Latupeirissa || Dana's brother |- | Grandmother/Oma || Neo Swee Lin || Jajang C. Noer || Dana's grandmother |- | Somchai/Somad || Lim Kay Siu || Uli Herdinansyah || Dana's father, an inventor |- | Pairote/Pairot || Jason Chan || Surya Saputra || Antagonist, an evil landlord and entrepreneur |- | Bens/Ben || || Indra Bekti || Pairot's son |- | Wichien/Wiwien || Jamie Meldrum || Jose Rizal Manua || A crazy old man but a lot of knowledge |- | Cockatoo/Kakatu || Denise Tan || Cut Mini || Bird parrots chatty kind (accented Malay in the Indonesian version) |- | Minah || || Shanty || Bird crow Kakatu friend |- | Kadal || || Ria Irawan || A lizard (accented Tegal in the Indonesian version) |- | Tante Bear || || Tike Priatnakusumah || Bear leader |}

*Director Joko Anwar appeared as guest star and contributed his voice in the film as Ubay. * Bemby Gusti is a musician who contributed the voice of Spider.

== Production ==

''Sing to the Dawn'' was produced by Infinite Frameworks (IFW), an animation studio based in Batam, Indonesia.<ref name="IFW" /><ref name="globe">{{cite web|url=http://thejakartaglobe.com/artsandentertainment/indonesian-produced-animated-film-takes-kids-on-3-d-adventure/332449|title=Indonesian-Produced Animated Film Takes Kids on 3-D Adventure|last=Thee|first=Marcel|date=September 29, 2009|access-date=November 28, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100103030650/http://thejakartaglobe.com/artsandentertainment/indonesian-produced-animated-film-takes-kids-on-3-d-adventure/332449 |archive-date=3 January 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> The English-language version of the film was released on 30 October 2008 in Singapore, followed by Korea, Malaysia and Russia. The film was screened at ''Pusan International Film Festival'' in South Korea and in Santa Monica.

Production was done in Batam over three years with a budget of US$5 million. After the English version of the film was completed in 2008, it was distributed to various countries. ''Sing to the Dawn'' was not immediately released in Indonesia because IFW wanted to introduce the film to an international audience first.<ref name="IFW" /><ref name="globe" />

The film was an adaptation of a short story by Minfong Ho at the request of the Singapore government.{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}} The film was referred to as "the film work of the nation" by IFW, because out of the 150 animators in the studio, almost all were Indonesian except for five expatriates. The total number of expatriates involved is only 10. Many animators from Yogyakarta, London, and Solo were recruited for the production of this film.<ref name="IFW" /><ref name="kompas">{{cite web|url=http://tekno.kompas.com/read/xml/2009/07/27/19194428/indonesia.berhasil.buat.film.animasi.layar.lebar.pertama|title=Indonesia Berhasil Buat Film Animasi Layar Lebar Pertama|last=|first=|language=id|date=July 27, 2009|access-date=November 28, 2009}}</ref> By contrast, the Singapore media wrote that the film is Singaporean because of the film initiative and funds from ''MediaCorp Raintree Pictures'' and ''Media Development Authority'' in Singapore.<ref name="cna">{{cite web|url=http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/274979/1/.html|title=Animated film "Sing to the Dawn" slated for 2008 release|last=Ng|first=Julia|date=May 8, 2007|access-date=June 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080307043749/http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/274979/1/.html|archive-date=7 March 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Besides changing the names of the characters, the setting moved from a small Thai village to Batam.

== Reception == According to ''Jakarta Globe'', ''Dream On'' was filled with exciting adventures and was well-suited for young children.<ref name="globe" />

In the premiere of ''Sing to the Dawn'' at ''Jurong Bird Park'', Singapore, Minfong Ho found the movie to be very different from the book and that they are not to be compared with each other. According to Ho, the film successfully demonstrated the character and spirit of Dawan. Ho said that if she were to rate the film, she would give it 11 out of 10.<ref>{{cite web |last= |first= |date=October 29, 2008 |title=Sing to the Dawn Review |url=http://artzine.wordpress.com/2008/10/29/sing-to-the-dawn/ |access-date=June 7, 2021}}</ref>

=== Film and book comparisons === In the book, Pairot never dressed up like Elvis. The conflicts experienced by the villagers in the book center around women's traditional gender roles in Southeast Asia. In the film, the story centered on Pairot's plans to evict the villagers. The plot in the film has less conflict between Dana and her father who told her sister that he did not believe that women need education. This scene was not developed in the film.<ref name="globe" />

== Remake == ''Meraih Mimpi (Dream On)'' is a film remake of ''Sing to the Dawn''. It was released in Indonesia on 16 September 2009 by Kalyana Shira Films. ''Dream On'' is the second 3D animated film produced in Indonesia after ''Homeland'' (2004).<ref>{{cite web |last=Yuliandini |first=Tantri |date=May 8, 2004 |title='Homeland' confusing, but shows promise |url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2004/05/08/039homeland039-confusing-shows-promise.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140110112125/http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2004/05/08/039homeland039-confusing-shows-promise.html |archive-date=January 10, 2014 |access-date=November 28, 2009}}</ref>

Nia Dinata was hired to assist in the localization of the film. Erwin Gutawa, the film's composer, wrote new music for the film. In addition to language, the story was overhauled.

In releasing this film, Kalyana Shira Films worked with IFW and collaborated with ''Mediacorp Raintree Pictures'', ''Scorpio East Pictures'', ''Indika Pictures'' and ''Media Development Authority'' from Singapore.

== References == {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{Official website|https://web.archive.org/web/20090710010537/http://www.singtothedawn.com/}} ''English'' *{{Official website|https://web.archive.org/web/20090730222453/http://meraihmimpi.com/}} ''Indonesian'' *{{IMDb title|1304591}}

{{Nia Dinata}} {{Infinite Frameworks}} Category:2008 films Category:2008 3D films Category:Indonesian animated films Category:Indonesian drama films Category:2008 Indonesian films Category:Indonesian children's fantasy films Category:2000s children's fantasy films Category:2008 animated films Category:Animated films set in Asia Category:Singaporean animated films Category:Films set in Indonesia Category:2008 Singaporean films