The Singapore International Film Festival is back for its 26th edition this November. Film submissions are open, as well as registrations to the Southeast Asian Film Lab and Youth Jury & Critics Programme.
In 2014, the 25th SGIFF had made a strong comeback to the regional film circuit, unveiling 147 movies from 50 countries, supported by strong ticket sales. Stellar film personalities that graced the festival included acclaimed film directors John Woo, Wang Xiaoshuai and Eric Khoo, actors Chen Bolin and Tong Dawei, and actresses Zhang Ziyi, Juliette Binoche, Cheng Pei Pei and Natassja Kinski.
Singapore International Film Festival
Date: 26 Nov - 6 Dec 2015
(Head over to the official website!)
SGIFF’s Youth Jury & Critics Programme
The one-of-a-kind programme seeks to nurture a new generation of critical writers on cinema from the region. Led by UK-based film academic and curator, May Adadol Ingawanij, selected participants will be educated on the historical and cultural significance of past and present Southeast Asian works, how film theory and close readings of films greatly benefit film writing for a wider audience, as well as different interviewing approaches.
The Programme will culminate in a live film journal created by the participants on the festival’s website, Youth Jury Coverage, extensively covering the works in competition in the Southeast Asian Short Film Competition.
Finally, the Youth Jury will vote on the Youth Jury Prize-winning film during the Silver Screen Awards. It is open to post-secondary students based in Singapore and the programme is expected to take in 12 to 15 participants.
The SGIFF Southeast Asian (SEA) Film Lab
Led by award-winning film producer Terence Chang (Broken Arrow, Face/Off, Red Cliff) with filmmakers Yong Mun Chee (Singapore) and Sherad Anthony Sanchez (Philippines) taking on mentor roles, participants of the film lab will learn more about filmmaking and working on their first feature films.
The 6-day SEA Film Lab focuses on story development for the successful applicants, who will be working on their films, and includes access to the Festivalʼs visiting filmmakers. A Most Promising Project Award is presented at the end of the Lab at SGIFF’s Silver Screen Awards.
Terence Chang, Head of Southeast Asian Film Lab comments: "I am excited about meeting new filmmaking talents in Southeast Asia through SGIFF's Film Lab. I look forward to being in Singapore this December!"