NTU alumni team up to create Singapore’s first sci-fi comedy

By Vivien Yap

A team of NTU alumni turned their shared passion for storytelling into a bold, sci-fi comedy that made its World Premiere at the New York Asian Film Festival. A first in the genre for a Singapore-produced film, We Can Save The World!!! follows the exploits of a Singaporean who helps an alien locate a lost doomsday device.

Behind the film is a group of nine NTU alumni who worked with the film’s director, Cheng Chai Hong, to bring the movie to life.

Martin (second from left), Yi Jia (third from left), Jia Min (second from right) and the some of the cast and crew of We Can Save The World!!! at New York City Asian Film Festival (Photo Credit: We Can Save The World!!!)

The film’s producers include Lee Yi Jia (WKWSCI/2019), Tan Jia Min (ADM/2019), and co-producer Martin Loh (WKWSCI/2019) — all professionals in the film industry who have worked on different web drama series and television commercials, and now, their first full-length feature.

The movie’s executive producers Philothea Liau (ADM/2012) and Priscilla Hoo (ADM/2011) are founders of Hello Group, a Singapore-based casting and talent agency who had a role in the casting of Crazy Rich Asians and a season of WestWorld.

Russell Chan (WKWSCI/2016) is the Director of Photography, Weiqi Chuah (WKWSCI/2019) is the first Assistant Director, Danial Razak (WKWSCI/2016) is the Lead Editor and Jeremie Lim (WKWSCI/2019) is the Assistant Editor.

The movie made its World Premiere at the New York Asian Film Festival on 17 July 2025 as the only independent Singaporean film featured at the festival.

Connecting with others at the cinema

Director Cheng Chai Hong had noticed that while riding the lift to his apartment, no one in the lift, himself included, made eye contact with each other. This observation led to a discussion with his peers about the loneliness epidemic among millennials and Gen Z in post-pandemic Singapore – the topic that the film aims to address.

“We wanted to make a film from the perspective of how younger people see Singapore,” says Yi Jia. “Not just in language or setting, but in spirit. We want people to watch it and feel uplifted.”

A scene featuring the main actors from ‘We Can Save The World!!!’ (Photo Credit: We Can Save The World!!!)

Martin feels that the film fills a gap in Singapore’s local film industry: “There’s a divide between art-house films made for international festivals and seasonal comedies made for the masses. Our movie sits in the middle as something thoughtful and accessible. It’s the kind of movie you can bring your friends and your mum to.”

Beyond making a film, the team wants to attract people to the cinemas.

“Going to the movies with friends and family has become less common today. We hope this film can remind people of what it feels like to laugh, cry, and gasp together in the same room,” says Martin.

Yi Jia adds that some scenes were specifically designed to be enjoyed in a cinema setting. “There’s a magic that happens when strangers watch something together. That human connection is part of the story we’re trying to tell, both on and off screen.”

Their beginnings at NTU

While Yi Jia and Jia Min met in Junior College, it was only in NTU that all three producers were connected as students sharing the same interest in filmmaking. They would go on to attend classes and collaborate with each other on various student film projects.

Yi Jia (first from right) and Martin (back row, third from left) with their batchmates at their convocation ceremony in 2019 (Photo Credit: Lee Yi Jia)

“We had all worked on our own, separate projects after graduation. In 2023, when director Chai Hong approached us separately to produce his film, individually we all said yes because we knew it was going to be something special,” recalled Yi Jia.

The trio’s shared history as friends, collaborators and NTU students made assembling the film crew an organic process.

“Putting a team together was really serendipitous,” says Martin. “I met some of them almost ten years ago at school or through internships. But the trust and familiarity we built at NTU and at work made it easy to work together again.”

Yi Jia and Martin credit their time at NTU for opening their eyes to the world of filmmaking. A fond memory for them was taking part in their school’s Overseas Film Festival Practicum, a course that brought them to the Busan International Film Festival. It was through this experience that both saw first-hand how enthusiastically Korean audiences supported local cinema.

Yi Jia and Martin (top row, left most) attending the Busan Film Festival in 2018 (Photo Credit: Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information)

“It was incredible,” recalls Yi Jia. “People were queuing for hours just to watch Korean films. That kind of organic cultural pride inspired us, and we wanted to see more of that in Singapore.”

As someone who entered NTU without any idea of what he wanted to pursue in the future, Martin recalls watching a black-and-white film in school for a film module as his own personal awakening.

“I remember thinking that if I could create a film that would make someone else feel the same way I did in that dark lecture theatre, my existence would be very meaningful,” said Martin.

From Singapore, to Singaporeans everywhere

The movie was produced independently, meaning the team had to seek out and convince investors to believe in the team’s vision and work.

While most commercial films made by bigger movie studios have centralised offices and studios, the team shot parts of the movie at the director’s home in Tampines while communicating largely over calls.

“We wanted to retain full creative oversight and stay true to Chai Hong’s original version. So, we made the difficult decision to stay independent,” explains Martin.

The three producers working from director Cheng Chai Hong’s home (Photo Credit: Lee Yi Jia)

“The relationship we share with our investors and partners isn’t completely about money” says Yi Jia. “They are people who understand what we were trying to do. As professionals in the film industry, we all believe that Singaporean film can stand on its own feet.”

The opportunity to showcase their film abroad gave the producers a chance to connect with Singaporeans based overseas while bringing a piece of home to them.

“This isn’t about chasing international validation,” Yi Jia clarifies. “It’s about reaching Singaporeans, wherever they are. We want them to see a version of Singapore they recognise but maybe haven’t seen on screen before.”

“At some point, I started questioning why I was even making films,” says Yi Jia. “But through this project, I realised that what we’re doing is not just for ourselves. It’s for the audience. We want to remind people that they’re not alone.”

To her juniors and other NTU alumni who are looking at pursuing a career in filmmaking, Yi Jia advises: “The path will be challenging, but you should welcome the challenge and find your community to journey with.”