The Singapore Palestinian Film Festival (SPFF) is a non-profit enterprise which aims to provide a platform for the work of Palestinian filmmakers and artists in Singapore. Founded in 2016, the festival’s first installment will be held at The Projector. “Through these movies, I hope to show the diversity and complexities present in Palestinian society and hopefully, dismantle any misconceptions,” explained Adela Foo, the festival’s creator, who first organised a Palestinian Film Festival in her college.

Singapore Palestinian Film Festival 2017
Date: 19 - 22 January 2017
Venue: The Projector
Ticket Pricing: $13.50 (Standard), $11.50 (Concession)

(Purchase your tickets at the Projector!)

Here are a few highlights of the film festival:

The Wanted 18



Synopsis: True story of the Israeli army's pursuit of 18 cows in a Palestinian farm whose milk production was seen as a threat to national security.

Adela mentions that this stop-motion film “is not only fun and informative, but I think also family friendly.” The film was the Palestinian entry for Best Foreign Language Film category for last year’s Oscars.


5 Broken Cameras



Synopsis: In 2005 when the demonstrations against the wall started, Emad got his first camera and started to film the happenings in the village.

“‘5 Broken Cameras’ is a powerful movies that I think everyone should watch,” said Adela about this critically acclaimed documentary, which has won an International Emmy Award and was nominated for an Oscar in 2013, among other accolades.


The Time That Remains



Synopsis: Palestinian Director Elia Suleiman recounts family stories inspired by his father Fuad's private diaries starting from when he was a resistance fighter in 1948, and his mother’s letters to family members who were forced to leave the country during the same period.

Adela cites this film as “perhaps one of the most beautifully shot movies I have ever seen.” The film competed in Cannes Film Festival, was screened at Toronto International Film Festival, and won the Jury Grand Prize at Asia Pacific Screen Awards.



Other films featured include Speed Sisters, a film about the first all-women race car driving team in the Middle East, Slingshot Hip Hop, a film about Palestinian rappers using music to resist Israel, and an Oscar-nominated short film Ave Maria, a comedic story of a chance encounter between an Israeli family and a group of West Bank nuns.

(Find out more about the festival here!)