Oversteer (film)

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Oversteer
Oversteer (Film).png
Poster for the movie Oversteer (2024).
Directed byDerrick Lui
Written byDerrick Lui
Produced byDerrick Lui
StarringZhang Yao Dong; Yu Tian Long; Hanrey Low; Jannassa Neo; Aden Tan
CinematographyDaven Raghavan
Music byAlex Oh
Production
company
Vogue Films
Release date
  • 31 January 2024 (2024-01-31)
Running time
86 minutes
CountrySingapore
LanguagesMandarin, Cantonese, English

Oversteer is a 2024 Singaporean comedy-action film directed by Derrick Lui, [1] [2] who also produced and wrote it. It marks what is billed as Singapore's first car-racing film, [1] [3] [4] and was released theatrically on 31 January 2024. [5] [6]

Contents

Plot

Oversteer is a film based on a true incident. [5] It follows the story of Wind, a young man whose passion for cars creates tension within his family and leads him into challenges for which he is unprepared. [1] [3] As he faces personal and financial difficulties in the racing community, [1] Wind receives support from unexpected allies. The film is set against the backdrop of auto racing and explores themes such as friendship, perseverance, and the pursuit of aspirations. [7] [8]

Cast

Production

The film was produced as a regional collaboration involving Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Myanmar. [4] Director Derrick Lui developed the project over a period of ten years. [2] [3] After losing major funding, [1] [12] he self-financed the production on a six-figure budget. [3] Principal photography was completed in 14 days in early 2020, [7] and the film’s post-production process was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as political instability in Myanmar following the 2021 coup. [7]

Release

Oversteer was released theatrically in Singapore on 31 January 2024, [5] [6] at Golden Village cinemas and in Malaysia, at Golden Screen Cinemas [10] and TGV Cinemas [13] .

Themes/cultural significance

Oversteer holds a place in Singaporean cinema history as the first locally produced car-racing feature movie, breaking new ground in the industry's genre. [4] [14] At its core, the movie is an underdog story that mirror the filmmaker's decade-long struggle to realize a low-budget passion project driven by sheer determination and personal investment. [7] [9] [14] These themes are echoed in the plot, which focuses on Fung (Wind), who, conflicted with his family, pursues his dreams of becoming a racer while navigating heartbreak, financial strain, and camaraderie. [8] [9] [14]

The movie emphasizes authenticity in its depiction of motorsport, using real cars and professional drifters, all shot without the use of Computer-Generated Imagery. [4] [8] [14] Its indie aesthetic, marked by intimate cinematography and grounded realism, stands in contrast to blockbuster racing movies, adding emotional texture and narrative immediacy. [8] [9]

Moreover, Oversteer illustrates regional collaboration in Southeast Asian filmmaking. Though a Singaporean team produced the movie, key sequences were filmed in Malaysia. [4] [7]

Festivals and awards

Oversteer was submitted to several film festivals before and after its release, where it received recognition and industry awards. These include:

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Zulraez, Yasmin (30 September 2024). "Passion project lacks speed". thesun.my. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  2. 1 2 Zalizan, Taufiq (28 April 2024). "Not so fast: Oversteer director tells why Singapore's first car-racing film took 10 years to hit the screens". CNA. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Lim, Bryan (9 February 2024). "'We think that it's stolen': Oversteer director shares run-in with Malaysia cops over Singapore's first racing movie". Yahoo News. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Lee, Tjoe (12 January 2024). "Fast Lane: Singapore's first car-racing film, Dakar Rally kicks off, new Nio ET9 unveiled". The Straits Times. ISSN   0585-3923 . Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 Williams, Emily (21 February 2024). "Firsthand: Local filmmaker, 48, poured savings & 10 years into making S'pore's 1st car-racing film". mothership.sg. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  6. 1 2 Lim, Bryan (15 January 2024). "Oversteer, Singapore's first-ever race car movie, will be speeding into cinemas on 31 January". Yahoo News. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Chakraborty, Drima (29 January 2024). "How was it shooting Singapore's first car racing movie Oversteer? Director says 'everything that could go wrong went wrong'". AsiaOne. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Sahu, Ipsita (2 March 2024). "Film Review #103: Oversteer". Singapore Film Society. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Kotzathanasis, Panos (12 November 2024). "Film Review: Oversteer (2024) by Derrick Lui". Asian Movie Pulse. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  10. 1 2 "Oversteer". www.gsc.com.my. Archived from the original on 7 October 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  11. ↑ "OVERSTEER – Silk Route Entertainment Pte Ltd" . Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  12. ↑ Sherman, Erik (1 February 2024). "Singapore's First Racing Movie 'Oversteer' Had Serious Problems". MotorBiscuit. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  13. ↑ "TGV Cinemas". www.tgv.com.my. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Leckenby, Nora (3 March 2024). "Film Review #104: Oversteer". Singapore Film Society. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  15. ↑ Schneider, Daria (17 September 2025). "Oversteer Dominierte VIFF 2025: Preis für Besten Spielfilm und Beste Regie". MeinBezirk.at (in German). Retrieved 20 September 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  16. ↑ Qiwen, Li (19 September 2025). "《速战人生》勇夺维也纳两大奖 雷坚钦：10年坚持终获肯定". www.zaobao.com.sg (in Simplified Chinese). Retrieved 20 September 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. ↑ "Film in Concorso – Oltre lo Specchio Film Festival" (in Italian). Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  18. ↑ Frater, Patrick (7 November 2024). "'Autobiography,' 'Cu Li Never Cries' Head for Blue Chair Film Festival in Luang Prabang". Variety. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  19. ↑ Chanlivong, Kheuakham (9 November 2024). "Blue Chair Film Festival Lights Up Luang Prabang with Southeast Asian Cinema". Laotian Times. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  20. ↑ "本地电影《速战人生》 美国夺最佳动作喜剧片". www.zaobao.com.sg (in Simplified Chinese). 11 November 2024. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  21. ↑ "Feature Films". 北海道国際映画祭. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  22. ↑ Wong, Silvia. "Genre filmmakers look to the future at Korea's NAFF project market". Screen. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  23. ↑ Festival, Asian Film (5 June 2022). "NAFF Project Market – Selected Projects 2022". Asian Film Festivals. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  24. ↑ "Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival". BIFAN. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
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