== Early life and education ==
== Early life and education ==
Khoo was born on 27 March 1965 in the [[State of Singapore (Malaysia)|State of Singapore]], Malaysia, the youngest of fourteen children to [[Khoo Teck Puat|Tan Sri Khoo Teck Puat]], a noted hotelier and financier, and Rose Marie Wee.<ref name=”Telegraph obituary 2004-03-02″>{{Cite news |date=2 March 2004 |title=Tan Sri Khoo Teck Puat |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1455763/Tan-Sri-Khoo-Teck-Puat.html |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230815152650/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1455763/Tan-Sri-Khoo-Teck-Puat.html |archive-date=15 August 2023 |access-date=17 December 2018 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}</ref><ref name=”:0″>{{Harvnb|Khng|2012|p=413}}</ref> He attended [[Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)|Anglo-Chinese School]] and the [[United World College of South East Asia]]. He was exposed to film in his youth by his mother, who began taking him to the cinemas when he was three-years-old. When he was eight, he used her [[Canon Inc.|Canon]] [[Super 8 film camera]] to make films with his toys. Khoo subsequently studied at the [[City Art Institute, Sydney|City Art Institute]] in New South Wales, Australia, graduating in cinematography in 1985.<ref name=”:0″ /><ref>{{Harvnb|Tan|2008|p=185}}</ref>
Khoo was born on 27 March 1965 in the [[State of Singapore (Malaysia)|State of Singapore]], Malaysia, the youngest of fourteen children to [[Khoo Teck Puat|Tan Sri Khoo Teck Puat]], a noted hotelier and financier, and Rose Marie Wee.<ref name=”Telegraph obituary 2004-03-02″>{{Cite news |date=2 March 2004 |title=Tan Sri Khoo Teck Puat |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1455763/Tan-Sri-Khoo-Teck-Puat.html |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230815152650/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1455763/Tan-Sri-Khoo-Teck-Puat.html |archive-date=15 August 2023 |access-date=17 December 2018 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}</ref><ref name=”:0″>{{Harvnb|Khng|2012|p=413}}</ref> He attended [[Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)|Anglo-Chinese School]] and the [[United World College of South East Asia]]. He was exposed to film in his youth by his mother, who began taking him to the cinemas when he was three-years-old. When he was eight, he used her [[Canon Inc.|Canon]] [[Super 8 film camera]] to make films with his toys. Khoo subsequently studied at the [[City Art Institute, Sydney|City Art Institute]] in New South Wales, Australia, in cinematography in 1985.<ref name=”:0″ /><ref>{{Harvnb|Tan|2008|p=185}}</ref>
In that period, a career in filmmaking came with hardships, as Singapore’s film industry of the 1950s and 1960s had died down. Incorporating new technology, Khoo began his filmmaking career with short films, then considered to be experimental.<ref name=”:0″ />
== Career ==
== Career ==
=== Early career ===
=== Early career ===
Khoo’s first directed short film was ”When The Magic Dies” (1985).<ref name=”:2″ /> It took four months to complete and cost {{SGDConvert|42000|year=1985|showdate=no}}, which was sponsored by the Khoo Foundation. Khoo made the film – which focuses on loneliness faced by elderly who live in [[Welfare hotel|welfare homes]] – after being asked to direct it by the [[Goodwood Park Hotel]]. He presented the finished film to Singapore Community Fund president [[Ee Peng Liang]], with the film intended to be educational and shown in schools or companies.<ref>{{Cite news |date=28 February 1986 |title=Filem papar derita hidup orang2 tua yang dilanda sepi |trans-title=Film shows the suffering of elderly people who are suffering from loneliness |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/beritaharian19860228-1.2.13? |access-date=26 November 2025 |work=[[Berita Harian (Singapore)|Berita Harian]] |pages=2 |language=Malay |via=[[NewspaperSG]]}}</ref> In 1989, Khoo created graphic novel ”Unfortunate Lives”, a collection of short stories set in urban Singapore. It was edited by Michael Cheah, who discovered Khoo and his comics in rock magazine ”BigO”, and published by Times Books International.<ref>{{Cite news |date=30 August 1989 |title=Three new comic books to be published |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/newpaper19890830-1.2.20.2? |access-date=26 November 2025 |work=[[The New Paper]] |pages=14 |via=[[NewspaperSG]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Wong |first=Sing Yeong |date=30 August 1989 |title=Dark, graphic tales of life |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/newpaper19890830-1.2.20.1? |access-date=26 November 2025 |work=[[The New Paper]] |pages=14 |via=[[NewspaperSG]]}}</ref> A review of the novel by K. H. Tan of ”[[The Straits Times]]” described it as “difficult for the reader to remain sanguine reading” as the “bleak angst-filled stories are like little glimpses into the people behind the newspaper headlines”.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tan |first=K. H. |date=6 September 1989 |title=Stark tales from the dark side of life |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19890906-1.2.68.4.4? |access-date=26 November 2025 |work=[[The Straits Times]] |pages=2 |via=[[NewspaperSG]]}}</ref>
In 1990, Khoo directed ”Barbie Digs Joe”.<ref name=”:1″ />
=== 1995–2005: ”Mee Pok Man” and ”12 Storeys” ===
Khoo’s films ”[[Mee Pok Man]]” and ”[[12 Storeys]]” have together been screened at over 60 film festivals, held all over the world including prestigious festivals such as [[Venice Film Festival|Venice]], [[Berlin International Film Festival|Berlin]] and [[International Film Festival Rotterdam|Rotterdam]].
Khoo’s films ”[[Mee Pok Man]]” and ”[[12 Storeys]]” have together been screened at over 60 film festivals, held all over the world including prestigious festivals such as [[Venice Film Festival|Venice]], [[Berlin International Film Festival|Berlin]] and [[International Film Festival Rotterdam|Rotterdam]].
== Personal life ==
== Personal life ==
[[File:Eric_Khoo,_2010_(cropped).JPG|right|thumb|Khoo in 2010]]
[[File:Eric_Khoo,_2010_(cropped).JPG|right|thumb|Khoo in 2010]]
Khoo is married to Kim Eun Choo; they have four sons named Edward, James, Christopher, and Lucas.
Khoo is married to Kim Eun Choo; they have four sons named Edward, James, Christopher, and Lucas.<ref name=”Klug 2012 pp. 412-415″>{{cite book |last=Khng |first=Russell Heng Hiang |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v9QEBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA412 |title=Southeast Asian Personalities of Chinese Descent: A Biographical Dictionary, Volume I & II |publisher=Institute of Southeast Asian Studies |year=2012 |isbn=9789814345217 |editor-last=Suryadinata |editor-first=Leo |pages=412–415 |oclc=864303540 |access-date=18 December 2018}}</ref>
== Selected filmography ==
== Selected filmography ==
Singaporean film director and producer (born 1965)
Eric Khoo Kim Hai (Chinese: 邱金海; pinyin: Qiū Jīnhǎi; born 27 March 1965) is a Singaporean film director and producer, who is often credited for the revival of Singapore’s modern film industry. He is best known for directing Mee Pok Man (1995), 12 Storeys (1997), and Be With Me (2005), all of which have been critically acclaimed.
Early life and education
[edit]
Khoo was born on 27 March 1965 in the State of Singapore, Malaysia, the youngest of fourteen children to Tan Sri Khoo Teck Puat, a noted hotelier and financier, and Rose Marie Wee.[1][2] He attended Anglo-Chinese School and the United World College of South East Asia. He was exposed to film in his youth by his mother, who began taking him to the cinemas when he was three-years-old. When he was eight, he used her Canon Super 8 film camera to make films with his toys. Khoo subsequently studied at the City Art Institute in New South Wales, Australia, in 1982.[3] He graduated in cinematography in 1985.[2][4] In that period, a career in filmmaking came with hardships, as Singapore’s film industry of the 1950s and 1960s had died down. Incorporating new technology, Khoo began his filmmaking career with short films, then considered to be experimental.[2]
1985–1995: Early career
[edit]
Khoo’s first directed short film was When The Magic Dies (1985).[4] It took four months to complete and cost S$42,000 (US$19,089.61), which was sponsored by the Khoo Foundation. Khoo made the film – which focuses on loneliness faced by elderly who live in welfare homes – after being asked to direct it by the Goodwood Park Hotel. He presented the finished film to Singapore Community Fund president Ee Peng Liang, with the film intended to be educational and shown in schools or companies.[5] In 1989, Khoo created graphic novel Unfortunate Lives, a collection of short stories set in urban Singapore. It was edited by Michael Cheah, who discovered Khoo and his comics in rock magazine BigO, and published by Times Books International.[6][7] A review of the novel by K. H. Tan of The Straits Times described it as “difficult for the reader to remain sanguine reading” as the “bleak angst-filled stories are like little glimpses into the people behind the newspaper headlines”.[8]
In 1990, Khoo directed Barbie Digs Joe.[3]
1995–2005: Mee Pok Man and 12 Storeys
[edit]
Khoo’s films Mee Pok Man and 12 Storeys have together been screened at over 60 film festivals, held all over the world including prestigious festivals such as Venice, Berlin and Rotterdam.
In 1998, Khoo was ranked as one of the 25 exceptional trend makers of Asia by Asiaweek magazine and in the following year was included into Asiaweek’s leaders for the millennium issue. He was an executive producer for the local comedy hit, Liang Po Po – The Movie (1999), and One Leg Kicking (2001), which were both the highest grossing local movies for their respective years in Singapore. He also produced 15 (2003) directed by Royston Tan, which screened at the Venice Film Festival (2003) and Sundance (2004). His TV work includes being executive producer of DRIVE, an anthology series for the Television Corporation of Singapore (1998), and Seventh Month (2004), a highly acclaimed TV horror series for Channel U (SPH Mediaworks). These productions served as a platform for grooming young talented filmmakers.
Some of his notable achievements include being the first recipient of the National Arts Councils Young Artist Award for Film in 1997 and together with James Toh and Lucilla Teoh they wrote the White Paper which resulted in the formation of the Singapore Film Commission.
In 2004, Khoo directed his third feature Be With Me which was selected as the opening film for the Directors’ Fortnight Cannes 2005. The film has since won several awards overseas and has been invited to the Toronto International Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, Pusan International Film Festival amongst others. It has also received international distribution including the US and Europe with glowing reviews in the French media when it opened in October 2005.
Khoo was a judge at the 10th Busan International Film Festival 2005 and Be With Me is the first Singaporean film to be nominated for the European Film Awards 2005. In 2006, Khoo executive produced Royston Tan’s second feature 4:30 and was invited to direct for the Jeonju Digital Film Festival in Korea – No Day Off the story of an Indonesian maid. He was the first Singapore director whose films were featured in a retrospective in Korea. The Seoul Independent Film Festival paid this tribute to him.
In 2007, Khoo was appointed as a board member of NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Asia. He produced Royston Tan’s 881 a box office hit and received the highest arts honor the Cultural Medallion by the President of Singapore in the same year. In 2008, Khoo’s film, My Magic was selected for Cannes official selection main competition. It is distributed in France by ARP and Wild bunch for international sales. My Magic picked up the best film award at Fribourg International Film Festival and was voted best film of 2008 by Le Monde.
In 2009, Khoo entered into a partnership with Infinite Frameworks to form a new company, Gorylah, specializing in the production of genre films. Gorylah’s maiden effort, Darah, went on to win the Best Actress award at the 2009 Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival. Khoo executive produced Boo Junfeng‘s first feature film, Sandcastle. The film was selected for 2010 Critic’s Week at Cannes. Centre Pompidou in Paris held an Eric Khoo retrospective in 2010 and he was featured in Phaidon Books, Take 100 – The Future of Film, 100 new directors. Khoo was president of the jury for the International Competition at the 63rd edition of the Locarno International Film Festival in 2010.
Tatsumi, based on the life and short stories of Yoshihiro Tatsumi, is Khoo’s first animation feature which premiered at the 64th Cannes Film Festival in 2011 and world sales is handled by The Match Factory. Tatsumi won best animated feature at the Sitges Film Festival and the best film and best composer in the Muhr AsiaAfrica Awards at the 8th Dubai International Film Festival. It made its North American premiere at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). In the same year his production 23:59, an army paranormal film, was number one at the Singapore box office. In 2012, Khoo was Jury President at the Asian Film Awards and Rotterdam International Film Festival. He was the head of the Jury at Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival 2013.
Khoo has five critically acclaimed feature films that were at film festivals all over the world: Mee Pok Man (1995), 12 Storeys (1997), Be with Me (2005), My Magic (2008), and Tatsumi (2011). Mee Pok Man won prizes in Singapore, Fukuoka, and Pusan. It was also entered into the 19th Moscow International Film Festival.[9] 12 Storeys won him the Federation of International Film Critics (FIPRESCI) Award and the UOB Young Cinema Award at the 10th Singapore International Film Festival, and the Golden Maile Award for Best Picture at the 17th Hawaii International Film Festival. 12 Storeys was also the first Singapore film to be invited to take part in the Cannes Film Festival. Be With Me opened the Directors’ Fortnight at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival, while My Magic was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival and was voted as one of the top five films of that year by Le Monde. Most recently, Tatsumi, based on manga artist Yoshihiro Tatsumi‘s memoir, premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.
In September 2014, Khoo announced that he will release a drama anthology, In the Room, in 2015. Exploring themes of love and sensuality, the film will star Hong Kong actress Josie Ho, up and coming Korean actor Choi Woo-shik, Japanese adult-film actress Shou Nishino, and actor Koh Boon Pin, who starred in Khoo’s 12 Storeys. In the Room will also feature a homage to controversial cabaret dancer Rose Chan, the subject of a biopic that was first announced in 2009 but is still under development.[10][11] In the Room premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2015 and travelled to the San Sebastián International Film Festival, Busan International Film Festival and Singapore International Film Festival. It was initially unable to be screened for commercial release in Singapore as Khoo refused to edit two scenes that exceeded the MDA’s film classification guidelines.[12] Later, the subtly different ‘international version’ of the film was given a commercial release on 25 February 2016, after it was passed uncut with an R21 rating by the Media Development Authority.[13]
In December 2015, Mee Pok Man was restored by the Asian Film Archive for its 20th anniversary and screened at the Singapore International Film Festival. The high-resolution Digital Cinema Package version, restored from original 35mm prints, also enjoyed screenings at arthouse cinema The Projector in April and May 2016, with a panel discussion on the film’s legacy.[14]
2015 also saw the release of Khoo’s short film, Cinema, as part of the omnibus, 7 Letters, to commemorate Singapore’s 50th year of independence.[15] In addition, Khoo released the telemovie Wanton Mee on okto in March, before it travelled to the Culinary Zinema section of the 63rd San Sebastian Film Festival in September and the 10th Culinary Cinema programme of the 2016 Berlinale in February, where chefs like Alexander Dressel took turns serving a menu inspired by the programme’s films. Wanton Mee, a look at the transformation of Singapore’s versatile street food scene, is also screening on Singapore Airlines‘ inflight entertainment programming.[16]
In 2016, Khoo collaborated with some of Southeast Asia’s most renowned filmmakers as part of an omnibus project commissioned by National Gallery Singapore, Art Through Our Eyes. This project brought together – for the first time – filmmakers Joko Anwar (Indonesia), Ho Yuhang (Malaysia), Brilliante Mendoza (Philippines), Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Thailand), and Eric Khoo (Singapore).
In 2018, Khoo directed Ramen Teh, which stars Seiko Matsuda. The film premiered as the closing film of the Culinary Cinema section at the Berlin International Film Festival.[17] He also launched the Scream Asia Festival in Singapore.[18]
.JPG)
Khoo is married to Kim Eun Choo; they have four sons named Edward, James, Christopher, and Lucas.
Selected filmography
[edit]
| Year | Title | Roles | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Barbie Digs Joe | Director, writer | Short |
| 1991 | Hope and Requiem | Director, writer | Short |
| August | Director, writer | Short | |
| 1992 | The Punk Rocker and… | Director | Short |
| 1993 | Symphony 92.4 FM | Director | Short |
| The Watchman | Director | Short | |
| 1994 | Pain | Director, producer | Short |
| 1995 | Mee Pok Man | Director | |
| 1997 | 12 Storeys | Director, writer | Nominated for the Un Certain Regard Award |
| 1999 | Liang Po Po: The Movie | Executive producer | |
| Stories About Love | Executive producer | ||
| 2000 | Moments of Magic VDO | Director | Singapore’s millennium MTV |
| Home VDO | Director | Short | |
| 2001 | One Leg Kicking | Writer, executive producer | |
| 2003 | 15: The Movie | Producer | |
| 2005 | Be With Me | Director, writer | Singapore’s official entry to the 78th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film |
| 2006 | Digital Sam in Sam Saek 2006: Talk to Her | Director | Segment: “No Day Off” |
| Zombie Dogs | Producer | ||
| 0430 | Producer | ||
| 2007 | 881 | Producer | Singapore’s official entry to the 80th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film |
| 2008 | My Magic | Director, writer | Singapore’s official entry to the 81st Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film |
| Invisible Children | Producer | ||
| 2009 | Darah | Producer | |
| 2010 | Sandcastle | Producer | |
| 2011 | Tatsumi | Director | Animated Film
Singapore’s official entry to the 84th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film |
| 60 Seconds of Solitude in Year Zero | Director | Segment | |
| 2012 | 23:59 | Producer | |
| 2013 | Ghost Child | Producer | |
| Recipe | Director | Telemovie | |
| 2015 | In the Room | Director | |
| 7 Letters | Director | Segment: “Cinema”
Singapore’s official entry to the 88th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film |
|
| Wanton Mee | Director | Telemovie | |
| 2016 | Apprentice | Executive Producer | Singapore’s official entry to the 89th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film |
| Art Through Our Eyes | Writer | Segment: “Chua Mia Tee” | |
| 2018 | Ramen Teh | Director | Won the Audience Choice Award at the Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Film Festival |
| Folklore | Creator, Director | TV series; 1 episode | |
| Buffalo Boys | Executive Producer | ||
| 2019 | Food Lore | Director | TV series |
| Piece of Meat | Writer, Co-Producer | Short | |
| 2022 | Food Affair with Mark Wiens | Creator, Executive Producer | TV series |
| 2024 | Spirit World | Director | [19][20] |
- ^ “Tan Sri Khoo Teck Puat”. The Daily Telegraph. 2 March 2004. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 15 August 2023. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
- ^ a b c Khng 2012, p. 413
- ^ a b Chan, Alfonso (27 November 1990). “Lights, Camera, Ssshh…” The New Paper. p. 20. Retrieved 26 November 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
- ^ a b Tan 2008, p. 185
- ^ “Filem papar derita hidup orang2 tua yang dilanda sepi” [Film shows the suffering of elderly people who are suffering from loneliness]. Berita Harian (in Malay). 28 February 1986. p. 2. Retrieved 26 November 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
- ^ “Three new comic books to be published”. The New Paper. 30 August 1989. p. 14. Retrieved 26 November 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
- ^ Wong, Sing Yeong (30 August 1989). “Dark, graphic tales of life”. The New Paper. p. 14. Retrieved 26 November 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
- ^ Tan, K. H. (6 September 1989). “Stark tales from the dark side of life”. The Straits Times. p. 2. Retrieved 26 November 2025 – via NewspaperSG.
- ^ “19th Moscow International Film Festival (1995)”. MIFF. Archived from the original on 22 March 2013. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
- ^ Lui, John (3 September 2014). “Eric Khoo’s new movie to feature sex, nudity and a Japanese porn star”. The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. Archived from the original on 5 September 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
- ^ “Eric still can’t find his Rose”. The New Paper. Singapore Press Holdings. 19 April 2009. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
- ^ Lui, John (3 December 2015). “No show for Eric Khoo’s erotic film in cinemas here”. Singapore Press Holdings. The Straits Times. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
- ^ Lui, John (26 January 2016). “Eric Khoo’s erotic drama In The Room resubmitted to MDA for classification”. Singapore Press Holdings. The Straits Times. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
- ^ Lui, John (13 April 2016). “20 years on, Mee Pok Man remains one of the most important Singapore films, say experts”. Singapore Press Holdings. The Straits Times. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
- ^ Chan, Boon (20 August 2014). “One film for Singapore’s 50th year from seven top local directors, including Eric Khoo and Jack Neo”. The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
- ^ Loh, Genevieve Sarah (19 January 2016). “S’pore films headed to 2016 Berlin International Film Festival”. TODAY. Mediacorp. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
- ^ “Ramen Teh”. www.berlinale.de. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
- ^ Frater, Patrick (12 September 2018). “Eric Khoo to Launch Scream Asia Festival in Singapore”.
- ^ Patrick Frater (10 January 2024). “Catherine Deneuve to Star in ‘Spirit World,’ Japan-Set Fantasy Film by Singapore’s Eric Khoo (EXCLUSIVE)”. Variety. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
- ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (2 February 2024). “Eric Khoo Talks Japanese Drama ‘Spirit World’ With Catherine Deneuve As Goodfellas Boards Sales – EFM”. Deadline. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
