Telco giant Singtel released a short film in the run-up to Chinese New Year on February 16, with the message of celebrating the festive season with loved ones.
Entitled Mr. Lim's Reunion Dinner, the film follows a widower named Lim as he busies himself with preparations of a reunion dinner to be held on the eve of Chinese New Year while eagerly expecting his children's homecoming.
However, as the day approaches, his son and daughter who both live and work overseas tell him that they will not be coming home, mistakenly assuming that the other sibling will be around to celebrate the occasion with their father.
Upon learning this, Lim continues his preparations for the celebration, carrying on with the tradition of the reunion even without his children. Eventually, when the two children catch up and learn the truth, they hurry home just in time to reunite with their lonely father.
Singtel's Vice President for Group Strategic Communications and Brand Lian Pek said there are a lot of Singaporeans who can relate to this story, given that many of their family members work and study abroad.
"While technology has helped us stay connected with loved ones in different continents, nothing beats having family present during important holiday seasons," Pek said.
She noted that the film's tagline "Family matters. Stay connected to home." resonates Singtel's message for Singaporeans to strengthen their family ties given that the significance of Chinese New Year has somewhat waned in recent years especially amongst the younger generation.
"As a company devoted to connectivity, we also believe in making endearing and meaningful connections. We are big believers in keeping traditions alive, keeping ties strong, and staying connected to home," Pek noted.
The film was released on Singtel's Facebook page and will be aired on Singtel TV and other social media channels until March 2. The telco worked with Akanga Films and award-winning filmmaker K. Rajagopal for the movie.
Singtel's festive film Ah Ma's Christmas garnered more than 5.3 million views over three weeks in the run-up to Christmas.
