Singapore's 'Sayang Disayang' vie for Best Foreign Film trophy at the Oscars

All eyes are presumably set on Singapore as the republic takes its film industry a few notches higher with the submission of “Sayang Disayang” a 'made-in-Singapore' film which will be pitting against other titles at the Oscars' Best Foreign Language Film category.

According to the New Paper, the film was selected by the Singapore Film Commission and dubbed as the first Malay film submitted by Singapore for the coveted Oscars trophy.

The family drama marks director Sanif Olek's maiden effort which zooms in on a live-in nurse tasked to look after a lonely and bitter elderly man.

Official trailer of 'Sayang Disayang' from Sanif Olek's YouTube channel.

Olek, who also heads the TV consultancy Reeljuice could not contain this good news and expressed his happiness in his blog at reeljuice.blogspot.com, upon hearing the news.

"I am pleased to announce that 'Sayang Disayang' has been selected by the Singapore Film Commission to represent Singapore for consideration by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences at the Oscars 2015 in the Foreign Language category."

A contented Olek commented: "wait, did I hear/write that right? It seems so surreal to mention Sayang DiSayang and the Oscars in one sentence."

According to popular entertainment magazine Variety, the film was made on a budget of SGD400,000 (aprroximately RM960,000) and premiered at the Southeast Asian Film Festival in Singapore last May.

The film stars prominent Malaysian actor Datuk Rahim Razali and Singaporean actress, Aidli Mosbit.

Prominent Malaysian actor, Datuk Rahim Razali starred in 'Sayang Disayang'.

Malaysia's popular actor Datuk Rahim Razali in a scene taken from 'Sayang diSayang' - Photo from Cinema Online

Previously, a Singaporean Chinese film, “Ilo Ilo” a debut feature film by director Anthony Chen was sent under the same category for the 86th Academy Awards, but was unfortunately not nominated.