Singapore’s highly-anticipated film ‘Amoeba’, praised internationally for its unflinching look at 'conformity' in a rigid all-girls secondary school, has triggered a pre-emptive national dialogue. Authorities in the meticulously planned city-state are reportedly concerned the film, directed by Tan Siyou and opening in Singapore this March, might inadvertently encourage young Singaporeans to, well, *think* or *exist* outside prescribed boundaries.

"While we appreciate artistic expression, films like ‘Amoeba’ introduce concepts that could potentially destabilise our carefully cultivated social cohesion and efficient academic pipelines," stated an anonymous official from the Ministry of Cultural Compliance. "We are exploring options to ensure all future local productions include a PSA on the benefits of group harmony."

The film’s central theme, about girls trying to carve out identity where "conformity is the golden rule," has left some Singaporeans bewildered. "Wah, this film sounds like headache lah. My son, I just tell him study hard, get good grades, later can buy condo. What identity and supernatural? Better watch Korean drama," commented Mdm Tan, 58, a concerned parent from Bedok. Experts suggest the title ‘Amoeba’ itself, originally a coping mechanism, might be misconstrued as a desirable state of societal integration.