Shirkers

2018 documentary film by Sandi Tan

For the economics concept, see shirking.

Shirkers

Directed by| Sandi Tan
Written by| Sandi Tan
Produced by| Sandi Tan
Jessica Levin
Maya Rudolph
Cinematography| Iris Ng
Edited by| Lucas Celler
Sandi Tan
Kimberley Hassett
Music by| Ishai Adar
Distributed by| Netflix

Release date

* January 2018 (2018-01) (Sundance)

Running time

| 96 minutes
Countries| Singapore
United States
United Kingdom

Shirkers is a 2018 British-American documentary film by Singapore-born filmmaker Sandi Tan about the making of an independent thriller featuring a teenage assassin set in Singapore.[1] It premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival in January and won the World Cinema Documentary Directing Award, making her the second Singapore-born filmmaker after Kirsten Tan (Pop Aye, 2017) to win an award at the festival.[2][3][4] It was also nominated for the Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Documentary.[5]

Shirkers was released on October 26, 2018, on Netflix.[6]

## Synopsis

[edit]

In the summer of 1992, 19-year-old Sandi Tan, alongside friends Jasmine Ng and Sophia Siddique, as well as film teacher and mentor Georges Cardona, shot the independent film Shirkers, which would have made it Singapore's first road movie. The footage showed lots of promise and big things were expected of the finished result.[7] After wrapping, Tan, Ng, and Siddique left the footage with Cardona as the trio went to study abroad for college. However, Cardona disappeared with the footage and the trio never saw him again; Tan did receive two brief, inconsequential taped messages via snail mail.[8]

On September 11, 2011, four years after Cardona's death in 2007, Cardona's ex-wife emailed Tan (who by now was a novelist living in Los Angeles),[9] informing her that she was in possession of the footage for Shirkers, minus the audio tracks. In the proceeding years, Tan decided to digitize the footage and use it to make something new: a documentary about the process of creating, and then losing, the original 1992 film.[10]

Interviews were conducted in 2015 with Tan's friends, people involved with the making of Shirkers, and people who knew Cardona. The interviewees were Sophia Siddique Harvey, Jasmine Ng, Sharon Siddique, Philip Cheah, Ben Harrison, Foo Fung Liang, Pohshon Choy, Tay Yek Keak, Grace Dane Mazur, Stephen Tyler, and Georges Cardona's ex-wife.

## Georges Cardona

[edit]

Around 1976 in New Orleans, Georges Cardona,[11] a John F. Kennedy High School attendee, photography mentor to David Duke, and Vietnam War veteran,[12] opened Lighthouse Media Center (a franchisee of Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Super-8 Sound, a retrofitter of Beaulieu Super 8 film cameras).[13][14] Cardona was the cinematographer for some of David Duke's electoral campaign commercials and, in New Orleans in 1988, for Stephen Tyler's The Last Slumber Party.[15]

## Reception

[edit]

### Critical reception

[edit]

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 99% based on 70 reviews, with an average rating of 8.3/10. The site's consensus reads: "Shirkers uses one woman's interrogation of a pivotal personal disappointment to offer affecting observations on creativity, lost opportunity, and coming to terms with the past."[16] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 88 out of 100 based on 20 critics, indicating "universal acclaim"; it is labeled as a "Metacritic must-see".[17]

Citing the film as one of his favorites at Sundance, Nick Allen of RogerEbert.com wrote a rave review for Shirkers, saying that "Tan presents her multifaceted life story—vibrant, unbelievable, and full of such incredible women—as a dazzling tapestry that’s unlike many narrative or documentary films."[18]

### Accolades

[edit]

Award  | Date of ceremony  | Category  | Recipient(s)  | Result  | Ref.

|
|
|
|
|

Alliance of Women Film Journalists Awards | January 10, 2019  | Best Documentary  | Sandi Tan | Nominated  | [19]
Austin Film Critics Association Awards | January 18, 2019 | Best Documentary  | Shirkers | Nominated  | [20]
Cinema Eye Honors | January 10, 2019  | Outstanding Achievement in a Debut Feature Film  | Sandi Tan  | Nominated  | [21]
Outstanding Achievement in Direction  | Sandi Tan  | Nominated
Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Score  | Ishai Adar  | Won
Outstanding Achievement in Graphic Design or Animation  | Sandi Tan and Lucas Celler | Won
Audience Choice Prize  | Sandi Tan  | Nominated
The Unforgettables  | Georges Cardona, Sophia Siddique Harvey, Jasmine Kin Kia Ng, and Sandi Tan  | Won
Dorian Awards | January 12, 2019  | Documentary of the Year  | Shirkers | Nominated  | [22]
Florida Film Critics Circle Awards | December 21, 2018 | Best Documentary Film | Shirkers | Won  | [23]
Golden Reel Awards | February 17, 2019  | Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Feature Documentary | Lawrence Everson and Cindy Takehara Ferruccio  | Nominated  | [24]
Gotham Independent Film Awards | November 26, 2018 | Best Documentary | Shirkers | Nominated  | [25]
Audience Award | Shirkers | Nominated
Independent Spirit Awards | February 23, 2019 | Best Documentary Feature | Sandi Tan, Jessica Levin, and Maya E. Rudolph  | Nominated  | [26]
International Cinephile Society Awards | February 3, 2019  | Best Documentary  | Shirkers | Nominated  | [27]
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards | December 9, 2018 | Best Documentary/Nonfiction Film | Shirkers | Won  | [28]
National Society of Film Critics Awards | January 5, 2019 | Best Non-Fiction Film | Shirkers | Runner-up  | [29]
Online Film Critics Society Awards | January 2, 2019 | Best Documentary Film | Shirkers | Nominated  | [30]
Peabody Awards | May 18, 2019  | Documentary  | Shirkers | Nominated  | [31]
Philadelphia Film Festival Awards | October 28, 2018  | Best Documentary Feature  | Shirkers | Won  | [32][33]
San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle Awards | December 9, 2018  | Best Documentary  | Shirkers | Nominated  | [34]
Seattle Film Critics Society Awards | December 17, 2018  | Best Documentary Feature | Sandi Tan  | Nominated  | [35]
Sundance Film Festival | January 27, 2019 | World Cinema Documentary Directing Award  | Sandi Tan  | Won  | [36]
Women Film Critics Circle Awards | December 11, 2018  | Best Documentary by or About Women  | Shirkers | Runner-up  | [37]

## See also

[edit]

* Cinema of Singapore
* Guerrilla filmmaking
* Cinephilia

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Shirkers". sundance.org. Archived from the original on February 12, 2019. Retrieved November 24, 2022.
2. ^ Lui, John (1 March 2018). "Sandi Tan's award-winning documentary Shirkers to stream on Netflix". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
3. ^ Linden, Sheri (23 January 2018). "'Shirkers': Film Review (Sundance 2018)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
4. ^ Halligan, Fionnuala (22 January 2018). "'Shirkers': Sundance Review". Screen International. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
5. ^ Sharf, Zack (2018-10-18). "2018 Gotham Awards Nominations: 'The Favourite' and 'First Reformed' Lead the Pack". IndieWire. Retrieved 2018-10-19.
6. ^ Kain, Erik (October 4, 2018). "Here Are All The TV Shows And Movies Coming To Netflix In October (2018) And What To Watch". Forbes. Retrieved November 24, 2022.
7. ^ Gibraltar Chronicle newspaper 26/10/2018; TV Guide section; Page 9
8. ^ Keeley, Pete (13 November 2018). "How a "Shape-Shifter" Director Hijacked a Teen Film for More Than 20 Years". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
9. ^ Gibraltar Chronicle newspaper 26/10/2018; TV Guide section; Page 9
10. ^ "Shirkers: a movie mystery 25 years in the making". the Guardian. 20 October 2018. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
11. ^ Cardona, Georges (1995). About Burma/Myanmar. Singapore: A & B Co. ISBN 9810074174. OCLC 41357880.
12. ^ "MISSING: Georges Cardona". georges.cardona.free.fr. 2001-08-10. Retrieved 4 May 2021. "vétéran de la guerre du Vietnam"
13. ^ "special issue: Professional Super-8" (PDF). American Cinematographer. 56 (11). Hollywood, California: ASC Holding Corp. November 1975. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
14. ^ Luers, Erik (February 2, 2018). "'Shirkers': How a Filmmaker Reclaimed her Lost Work and Turned It into a Sundance-Winning Doc". Archived from the original on 11 August 2020. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
15. ^ Arceneaux, Bill (1 January 2019). "From Shirkers, Then Back to NOLA: An Interview with Stephen Tyler". Big Easy Magazine. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
16. ^ "Shirkers (2018)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
17. ^ "Shirkers Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
18. ^ Allen, Nick (February 5, 2018). "Sundance 2018: Shirkers, Generation Wealth, Colette". RogerEbert.com.
19. ^ "2018 EDA Award Nominees". Alliance of Women Film Journalists. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
20. ^ Whittaker, Richard (December 28, 2018). "Austin Film Critics Release 2018 Awards Nominee Lists". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
21. ^ Kilday, Gregg (January 11, 2019). "Hale County This Morning, This Evening Earns Top Prize at Cinema Eye Honors". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
22. ^ Kilkenny, Katie (January 3, 2019). "The Favourite, Pose, Killing Eve Lead Dorian Award Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
23. ^ "2018 FFCC Award Winners". Florida Film Critics Circle. December 21, 2018. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
24. ^ "Motion Picture Sound Editors Announces 66th Annual Golden Reel Award Nominees". SHOOTonline. January 18, 2019. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
25. ^ Lewis, Hilary; Crist, Allison (November 26, 2018). "The Rider Tops Gotham Awards; Full Winners List". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
26. ^ "34th Film Independent Spirit Awards Nominations Announced". Film Independent. November 16, 2018. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
27. ^ Stevens, Beth (January 20, 2019). "Zama Awaits its Fate, While Burning Catches Fire at ICS Awards". International Cinephile Society. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
28. ^ Pond, Steve (December 9, 2018). "Roma Is the Year's Best Film, Say Los Angeles Film Critics". TheWrap. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
29. ^ Ramos, Dino-Ray (January 5, 2019). "National Society Of Film Critics Names Chloe Zhao's The Rider As Best Picture". Deadline. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
30. ^ Neglia, Matt (December 26, 2018). "The 2018 Online Film Critics Society (OFCS) Nominations". NextBestPicture. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
31. ^ Petski, Denise (April 9, 2019). "Peabody Award Nominations For TV & Digital Media Unveiled; Ronan Farrow To Host Trophy Show". Deadline. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
32. ^ Tustin, Kevin (October 28, 2018). "Philadelphia Film Fest, Day 10: The Home Stretch". Delaware County Daily Times. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
33. ^ "27th Philadelphia Film Festival". Philadelphia Film Society. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
34. ^ "SFBAFCC 2018 Awards". San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
35. ^ "The Favourite Leads the 2018 Seattle Film Critics Society Nominations". Seattle Film Critics Society. December 10, 2018. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
36. ^ "2018 Sundance Film Festival Awards Announced". Sundance Institute. January 27, 2019. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
37. ^ Neglia, Matt (December 11, 2018). "The 2018 Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC) Winners". NextBestPicture. Retrieved April 26, 2022.

## External links

[edit]

* Shirkers at IMDb
* Rolling Stone review of the film
* Christian Science Monitor review of the documentary film

Awards for Shirkers

* v
* t
* e

Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Documentary Film

* Fast, Cheap & Out of Control (1997)
* No Award (1998)
* Buena Vista Social Club (1999)
* The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg (2000)
* Startup.com (2001)
* Bowling for Columbine (2002)
* Capturing the Friedmans (2003)
* Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
* Grizzly Man (2005)
* An Inconvenient Truth (2006)
* No End in Sight (2007)
* Man on Wire (2008)
* The Cove (2009)
* The Tillman Story (2010)
* Project Nim (2011)
* The Queen of Versailles (2012)
* The Act of Killing (2013)
* Life Itself (2014)
* Amy (2015)
* Cameraperson (2016)
* Jane (2017)
* Shirkers (2018)
* Apollo 11 (2019)
* You Don't Nomi (2020)
* Summer of Soul (2021)
* All the Beauty and the Bloodshed (2022)
* Menus-Plaisirs – Les Troisgros (2023)
* Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat (2024)

* v
* t
* e

Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Documentary Film

* Hotel Terminus: The Life and Times of Klaus Barbie (1988)
* Roger & Me (1989)
* Paris Is Burning (1990)
* American Dream (1991)
* Black Harvest (1992)
* It's All True: Based on an Unfinished Film by Orson Welles (1993)
* Hoop Dreams (1994)
* Crumb (1995)
* When We Were Kings (1996)
* Riding the Rails (1997)
* The Farm: Angola, USA (1998)
* Buena Vista Social Club (1999)
* Dark Days (2000)
* The Gleaners and I (2001)
* The Cockettes (2002)
* The Fog of War (2003)
* Born into Brothels (2004)
* Grizzly Man (2005)
* An Inconvenient Truth (2006)
* No End in Sight (2007)
* Man on Wire (2008)
* The Beaches of Agnès / The Cove (2009)
* Last Train Home (2010)
* Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2011)
* The Gatekeepers (2012)
* Stories We Tell (2013)
* Citizenfour (2014)
* Amy (2015)
* I Am Not Your Negro (2016)
* Faces Places (2017)
* Shirkers (2018)
* American Factory (2019)
* Time (2020)
* Summer of Soul (2021)
* All the Beauty and the Bloodshed (2022)
* Menus-Plaisirs – Les Troisgros (2023)
* No Other Land (2024)

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