Conservative lawmakers tried to block this movie from screening at a Singapore festival. It didn't work.

The Singapore International Film Festival will open its 37th edition with "The Assassin(s)" as planned, organizers said Wednesday, rebuffing calls from South Korea's conservative People Power Party to drop the political thriller from its opening-night slot. In a statement to Singaporean media, the festival said it was aware of the controversy but stood by its selection. Its programmers chose the film independently, the statement added, on grounds of its artistic merit and contribution to contemp