“I try to live my life as fully as I possibly can so I can tell stories bigger than myself.” – He Shuming
For its modest size, Singapore has a wealth of creative talent. Among these is He Shuming, a local film director and screenwriter who has spent years finding his place in an industry that is difficult to break into.
His journey into filmmaking began after National Service, when he began working on film sets and eventually decided to pursue filmmaking more seriously. From studying film at Lasalle College of the Arts to receiving a scholarship from the Infocomm Media Development Authority to study directing at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles, he worked his way into the industry.
That hard work culminated in Ajoomma, his debut feature film, which premiered in competition at the 2022 Busan International Film Festival. The film went on to receive four Golden Horse Award nominations, including Best New Director, and was selected as Singapore’s entry for the Academy Awards’ Best International Feature Film. He was also awarded the National Arts Council’s Young Artist Award in 2019.
But behind these milestones is a much simpler approach to his work: staying curious, remaining open, and remembering that difficult periods do not last forever.
What have you learnt through your filmmaking journey?
The audience can feel the heart you put into your work and that heart comes from the experiences of living—both joy and heartbreak, love and pain. I try to live my life as fully as I can, so that I can tell stories that are bigger than myself.
What’s a belief that you’ve changed your mind about over the years?
I’ve realised that creative ambition doesn’t necessarily require a massive scope, a high budget, or big names. An emotionally intimate story, or even a completely different medium, can carry just as much weight. These days, my ambition feels more internal. I want to challenge what I believe, stay open to learning, and push myself to see things from new perspectives.
What is something audiences don’t realise about your work?
Filmmaking is inherently a collaborative art form. I bring my own perspective to the table, but the craft is also a relentless exercise in problem- solving, often against variables that have little to do with the original creative intent. A big part of my work is building the stamina to hold on to that perspective through thousands of unglamorous, practical decisions.
How do you think emerging technologies will affect filmmaking?
The rapid development of technology has always been a contentious topic in filmmaking, and perhaps even more so now, with generative content and the seemingly endless stream of disposable media competing for our attention. But I believe audiences will yearn for human-made stories more than ever. Storytelling has always been rooted in our lived experiences and our shared humanity, and I believe people will continue to connect with that.
What piece of advice has stayed with you?
In grad school, a professor gave me a piece of advice that shifted my perspective: you cannot spend your time trying to control or worry about how others feel. People are entitled to their feelings. Learning to respect that boundary transformed not only my creative process as a filmmaker, but also how I show up in my everyday life and relationships.
What do you do when you need a fresh perspective?
Surprisingly, keeping to a routine helps me find a fresh perspective. There are periods in my life when I find myself taking more long walks, which help regulate my thoughts and allow me to observe things from a different angle. Sometimes, intentional conversations with people are an important part of that process. Other times, it’s the accidental moments—something I see, hear, or experience—that can spark a new perspective.
What’s a book that continues to inspire you?
My most recent read is To Tell a Story by John Berger and Susan Sontag. It’s essentially a transcript of a conversation they filmed and broadcast in 1983, alongside correspondence between them over the years. I find myself returning to the book from time to time, reflecting on my craft as a storyteller and the way I approach stories.
Photography by Eugene Lee of Enfinite / Hair & Makeup by Sveta Klyn of Suburbs Studio
