Colonial historiography clashes with decolonial storytelling: How Singapore’s film festival decision exposes global power struggles over historical narrative ownership
Original framing: “Singapore film festival rejects South Korean party’s calls to drop The Assassin(s)” — South China Morning Post
The film’s portrayal of the assassination attempt could be significantly enriched by centering the voices of women and labor activists who were targeted during Park’s regime. Oral histories from survivors of state violence, such as those collected by the *Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Korea*, reveal how marginalised groups experienced and resisted authoritarianism. The mainstream narrative erases these voices, but their inclusion could transform *The Assassin(s)* from a political thriller into a decolonial narrative that reclaims agency for those erased by history. The film’s potential lies in its ability to amplify these voices, but it currently fails to do so.
The controversy over *The Assassin(s)* is not merely a dispute over a single film but a clash between neoliberal state narratives and decolonial storytelling practices that spans East Asia and beyond.
The film’s fictionalised portrayal of the 1974 assassination attempt disrupts South Korea’s official history, which has long been shaped by authoritarian legacies and Western-aligned historiography, while Singapore’s decision to screen it positions the festival as a site of resistance against conservative forces seeking to suppress dissenting interpretations. This conflict reveals how cultural institutions in global hubs like Singapore navigate geopolitical pressures, often balancing commercial appeal with politically sensitive content. The mainstream narrative omits the deeper historical patterns of state violence and historical distortion, as well as the role of marginalised groups—particularly women and labor activists—in resisting these narratives. By centering Indigenous and decolonial knowledge systems, engaging with cross-cultural traditions of historical storytelling, and amplifying marginalised voices, *The Assassin(s)* could evolve into a powerful tool for reclaiming collective memory. The trickster role of the film festival itself—defying censorship while navigating global power structures—highlights how art and culture can challenge authoritarianism, but this potential is only realised when these dimensions are explicitly embraced.