Filmmaker Ervin Han seen crying during National Day Rally, he says ‘tears’ were due to bright LED screen

Filmmaker Ervin Han seen crying during National Day Rally, shares about “emotional” moment

Singapore filmmaker Ervin Han was visibly emotional during the National Day Rally (NDR) livestream on 23 Aug, as Prime Minister (PM) Lawrence Wong highlighted his decade-long journey to bring the animated feature The Violinist to life.

This caused netizens to dub him as “2026’s Crying Guy” in a now-deleted thread on Reddit.

However, Han clarified that he was not actually crying.

Speaking to MS News, the co-founder of Singapore animation studio Robot Playground Media said his eyes were tearing because of the “very bright and massive LED screen” he had been looking at for more than two hours.

“I have photophobia, so my eyes are very sensitive to light, and prolonged screen use often makes them tear,” he said.

Still, he described the moment as emotional and said much of his thoughts went to his team, “without whom the film would not have been possible”.

‘A lot has changed for both of us’

PM Wong had highlighted Han as one of three Singaporeans who demonstrated how Singaporeans can adapt and persevere through setbacks.

He recalled meeting Han in 2015, when the latter’s short animated film The Violin was launched as part of SG50 celebrations.

That short film eventually became the basis for The Violinist.

“Along the way, he encountered many setbacks — COVID, partners pulled out, and production plans changed,” PM Wong said of Han in the rally.

“But he adapted, pressed on, and eventually produced a full-length animated feature called The Violinist.”

Han told MS News that he last interacted with PM Wong 11 years ago for his short film The Violin. That was when Mr Wong was the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY).

“That short film eventually became The Violinist,” he said.

“A lot has changed for both of us in the last decade! It was a really nice moment and I’m very grateful that he included it in his speech.”

Han had been informed a few weeks before the NDR that he would be featured and was briefed on what PM Wong would touch on.

He said it was an “honour and privilege” to have the spotlight on him, but stressed that The Violinist was not a one-man effort.

“It took an incredible Singapore team at Robot Playground Media and a global village,” he said.

‘I never really stopped believing that we should try’

The recognition comes after years of uncertainty over whether The Violinist would ever be completed.

Han said there were “definitely moments” when he thought the film might never get made.

“After so many years, you learn to live with that possibility,” he said.

However, he and his team were too emotionally invested in the story to walk away.

“Even when I wasn’t sure we would ever finish, I never really stopped believing that we should try,” he said.

“Looking back now, I’m very glad I didn’t.”

The film, co-directed by Han, tells the story of a young girl living through the Japanese Occupation in Singapore.

It features original music by Singaporean composer Ricky Ho and voices by Singaporean actors, alongside artists and animators from around the world.

‘Being recognised at home was something quite different’

The Violinist made history this year after becoming the first Singapore-produced film to win the top prize at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival.

Han said the international recognition was extraordinary, but being recognised by Singapore’s Prime Minister on National Day carried a different significance.

“Annecy was an extraordinary recognition from the international animation community,” he said.

“Being recognised by our Prime Minister on National Day was something quite different and very personal.”

For Han, the film’s biggest achievement is not simply winning awards.

He said he hopes generations of Singaporeans will enjoy the film and that audiences will feel a sense of pride in both its story and the collective effort behind it.

PM Wong had ended his NDR segment by telling Han, “Congratulations Ervin! You have done Singapore proud”.

Han said the words meant a great deal to him, particularly because the film was created with the ambition of telling a distinctly Singaporean story that could resonate internationally.

“Our history may be specific to us, but love, loss, family, conflict and memory are universal,” he said.

“I hope it also shows that we don’t have to make our stories less Singaporean for them to travel.”

The Violinist will hit the big screens in Singapore starting from 17 Sept.

For more information and the latest updates, follow the movie’s official Instagram page.