SKM serves up friendly rivalry and sweet treats in cheeky CNY film

The Singapore Kindness Movement (SKM) is celebrating the importance of community with the release of its latest short film, Pineapple Tarts, the third instalment in its “Multicultural Mosaics” series.

Released on 6 February, Pineapple Tarts centres on Chinese New Year and follows four neighbours as they engage in a friendly pineapple tart-making competition. Amid playful banter and spirited rivalry, the film showcases how festive traditions can transcend ethnic boundaries, highlighting universal themes of kindness, reunion, and harmony that resonate across Singapore’s diverse communities.

Pineapple Tarts will be available at 1pm today on SKM’s Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook.

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“Pineapple tarts are more than a festive treat — they carry a message of welcome and generosity. With the release of Pineapple Tarts, we want to encourage a wealth of kindness by inviting people to step into one another’s traditions and celebrations,” said Michelle Tay, executive director of SKM.

“Even if you do not personally observe a particular ethnic festival, chances are you have been invited by friends, colleagues, or neighbours to join in. Taking that leap is how we build a ‘We First’ society, one where shared experience reminds us that our cultures may be different, but the values that bind us are the same," added Tay.

The "Multicultural Mosaics" series highlights Singapore’s major ethnic festivals, showing that beneath diverse rituals lie shared values of family, community, and connection.

The first instalment, Murukku, celebrated Deepavali through the story of young Zora, who learns from her neighbour that the festival’s light can be shared with everyone.

The second, Candy Cane, centred on Christmas Eve, follows single mother Carol as her act of kindness towards a grieving neighbour sparks a ripple of goodwill, reflecting the spirit of giving and love.

The series will conclude with Ketupat, focused on Hari Raya Puasa. The upcoming film follows new neighbour Maya as she learns lessons of patience and forgiveness from Redha, demonstrating that the true meaning of the festival extends beyond fasting and feasting to include grace and understanding towards others. Ketupat is set to release in the first week of March 2026.

By portraying characters from different backgrounds discovering personal meaning in traditions beyond their own, SKM aims to shift perceptions from “Yours” and “Mine” to “Ours”, encouraging viewers to celebrate cultural diversity actively.

"Multicultural mosaics" follows a playful digital teaser campaign in October last year, when SKM wiped its social media clean in what appeared to be a “glitch”. Cryptic posts featuring blurred local talents and glitchy captions led followers to notice repeated uppercase letters “P”, “S” and “A”, hinting at a bigger reveal.

The stunt, dubbed “Operation glitch out”, ended with a tongue-in-cheek Notes app “apology” post and revealed itself as a teaser for SKM’s new “Be greater campaign 2025” and a series of Public Service Announcements (PSAs) promoting everyday acts of kindness. Produced by local agency Bless7Up, the five-part PSA series features local talents including Benjamin Kheng, Chow Jia Hui, Tommy Wong, Farah Lola, Ben Byrne (The Smiling Afro), and Eswari Gunasagar.

Using zentai actors (performers in full-body suits manipulating props from behind the scenes) the PSAs translate abstract social ideals into short, artistic narratives that depict neighbourliness, empathy, and appreciation.

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