Michelle Lhooq premieres documentary on Bussy Temple at RASA this Sunday

Gonzo journalist Michelle Lhooq, known for her incisive reporting on global counterculture through her newsletter Rave New World, presents a short documentary on Singapore’s queer underground party Bussy Temple.

Premiering at RASA on Sunday, March 23, the screening will be followed by a Q&A with Lhooq, Bussy Temple’s resident Howrøng and co-organiser Jo Ho. Closing the night will be a vinyl DJ set by Wild Pearl Studio.

The film, which explores Southeast Asia’s underground rave renaissance, delves into how a new wave of nightlife is reimagining social and political space for queer communities in the tightly-regulated island nation.

The film was shot and produced by Marisse Caine, Rin Tachihara and Nate Ng, edited by Brian Echon and produced by Alice Hines.

In each episode, Lhooq guides viewers through the underground nightlife of different cities, examining the lifestyles of local ravers, what rave culture stands for, how it fuels resistance—and where that resistance meets its limits.

“I was interested in documenting the new wave of rave culture in Singapore that had emerged after the pandemic,” Lhooq shares with Mixmag Asia on spotlighting Bussy Temple.

“The party also had an intellectual, cyberpunk bent—the theme was Donna Haraway's A Cyborg Manifesto—and had performance art elements that made it feel like much more than a strictly dancefloor-focused rave,” she adds.

Lhooq also shares that the film is the first instalment in an ongoing Rave New World documentary series exploring global underground rave scenes, especially in places where political and social repression makes these spaces vital.

Read this next: Behind the lens: Marisse Caine depicts The Truman Show-esque secrets of Singapore

“Most people think of [Singapore] as a very law-abiding, authoritarian, ‘crazy rich Asians’-style financial hub. But as someone who was born and raised there, I know it has a secretive underbelly that is very alive... if you know where to find it,” she explains.

Read this next: On queer futurity through rave collectives in Southeast Asia

Looking ahead, Lhooq is actively seeking funding, distribution partners, and creative collaborators to continue and expand the series.

“This is just a taste of the full vision,” she notes, with plans to explore rave culture in politically charged spaces like war-torn Kyiv, Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning party scene, and the depths of the Amazon jungle. “I would love for interested parties to get in touch.”

RSVP to the free screening at Rasa here and follow Michelle Lhooq on Instagram here.

Amira Waworuntu is Mixmag Asia’s Managing Editor, follow her on Instagram.

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