Skipping school, bullying the posh kids, smuggling drugs, mutual masturbation, body modification and searching for the ideal spot to top oneself: all this and more during the teenage years of a group of Singaporean street kids. Still banned in its native country, Royston Tan’s unflinching lens captures a side of society that is ignored and rarely seen by the tourists and international media that flow through this commercial hub of high-rises and motorways.

Five fifteen-year-old boys in Singapore lead lives alienated from almost every social reference except those of outward appearances and close friendships. Distanced from their families and schools, they spend their days in a complete state of apathy in the search of bizarre, sometimes painful experiences. Their imaginations have been completely colonised by MTV, cartoons, electronic jingles, media hype and comics.

Interpreted by street kids who live in an eerily similar world, this bold and audacious first feature by Royston Tan explores an adolescent world, dramatically marked by the conflicts of sub-culture and the complete addiction to music video and video game aesthetics.