Summerdaze, the first BL series from Singapore, has weathered many storms. When the filmmakers posted the original short video, they were surprised by the attention it received. Fast forward to 2021, the creators decided to launch a crowdfunding campaign.

A few days ago, an announcement on Instagram says:

Dear Backers,
Thank you for your patience. The team behind Summerdaze has partnered with a leading media and entertainment content company in Singapore. Together with our partners, we will be in talks with major streaming platforms in hopes to bring the series to life. Since there are many layers of approval and potential changes requested by the execs – this process is taking longer than expected. Thank you for your patience and support.

Telescope Studios
Undeniable chemistry: Alfred Sng (HIStory 3: Make Our Days Count) and David Eung | Telescope Studios

Synopsis

Summerdaze tells the tale of Evan. He’s a celebrated pop star who made a blunder. In order to get redemption, he agrees to play a major role in an LGBTQ film. He meets a rookie actor named Kai. They were to play the film’s romantic couple. While filming, it seems both actors realize something – their current relationship is not meant in a ‘brotherly way’ but rather something deeper.

The BL series stars Alfred Sng (HIStory 3: Make Our Days Count) and David Eung.

Summerdaze on Social Media

Ignite Media interviews Summerdaze’s creative team:

“When we first did (the short film), we did not expect it to get (so many views) as Singaporeans aren’t as supportive,” says Ng, who was its producer. He is also director of photography for Summerdaze: The Series. What came as a surprise for the duo, however, was stumbling upon a Weibo post in 2020 where a fan account had reposted Summerdaze and garnered over a million views. The short film also gained international traction in Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, and the United States.”

Singapore’s first BL series | Ignite Media

The creators say the push for a longer version (a full-length film by then) comes from comments requesting a movie. Fans of the short video pressured the team, and they apparently took on the challenge. The campaign is closed now, and there’s a video about it.

As they say, the rest is BL history.

Short film Summerdaze | Telescope Studios

Review | Short Film

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Reminds me a bit of Jongens (the Dutch gay coming-of-age film, directed by Mischa Kamp and featuring Gijs Blom, Ko Zandvliet, and Stijn Taverne). Yet, it has a “look and feel” all its own. The music is dreamy, a bit dark, and foreboding, yet there is this sense of belongingness. Without any talking lines, the director succeeds in bringing to life the characters nonetheless. That indicates the power of its storytelling. The locales could be anywhere and just like Jongens, it capitalizes on the surroundings to bring in the moods. It’s likely unrequited love at this point.

Both actors seem to have gotten the message that it takes time to get the right ‘chemistry’. Reports have it that Alfred and David practiced conversations to get to know each other.

There are some open-ended queries just because it’s way too short. Yet, it offers a certain expectation for viewers to demand more. And that’s exactly what happened. The upcoming series (instead of a movie) is already being anticipated by BL fans worldwide. Will it meet our collective expectations or will it come to naught?

We highly recommend our updated Hitlist on Boys Love series all over Asia-Pacific.