[Updated on Nov 4] Seems like every other week, we are rounding up film festivals. We can’t help it! There are just so many. This time, we bring you national film festivals from around the world, and they’re all happening right here in Singapore.
Middle East Film Festival
Our very first Middle East Film Festival, presented by the Middle East Institute and The Projector, with support from Luna Films is running from now till Oct 30. The selection of films for the festival will give viewers a closer look into the lives of people living in the trouble region pervaded with war, dispute and conflicts, but also showcase the diversity and strengths of its people. One of the highlights is the screening of The Paternal House, a film about “honor killing”, something that’s considered taboo to discuss in modern Iran. Needless to say, the film was banned in the country after it had its debut screening in Venice. Check out a clip from the film above.
German Film Festival
The German Film Festival celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, with some heavy movies about the struggle of the individuals. There will be 26 new fiction, animated and documentary films, along with a six-title retrospective on German fantasy films, the oldest one being The Student of Prague (1913), as well as a screening of Fritz Lang’s animated film Destiny. We’re pretty excited about Democracy, a documentary about the dangers of big data and mass surveillance in Europe, and a biographical documentary about prodigious 1960s artist Eva Hesse, whose career was cut short by death. On the fiction front, look out for Agnes which features the struggle of a girl who tries to cope with reality as the words written by her author boyfriend start becoming true.The retrospective film Destiny by Fritz Lang will highlight German animation. Nov 3-13
French Film Festival
Organized by the Institut Francais and the French Embassy, the French Film Festival is back Nov 10-20, and will feature 20 films ranging from cult classics like Hothead (Coup de tête), about a French footballer with a short temper who is accused of rape, and Going Places (Les Valseuses), a journey of two thugs on the run with a woman they have kidnapped, to recent releases like Tomorrow (Demain) directed by actress Melanie Laurent, where a group of friends travel the world in search of solutions to the problems facing humanity. We’re also intrigued by All Three of Us (Nous Trois Ou Rien), about a young family who emigrates from a village in Iran to Paris.
Latin American Film Festival
One of the most democratic film festivals in town, the fourth edition of the Keppel Latin American Film Festival (KLAFF) will take place at Golden Village Suntec City, and the best part is that you can get a free ticket if you turn up 30 minutes before each film screening. One of the films being featured this year is A Los 40 (Back to School) which showcases the life of eight people in their 40s who face their past, present and future at a reunion party and are forced to think about where their life is heading. We are particularly excited about Habanastation, a Cuban film which showcases the life of a rich young kid Mayito, who gets lost in the May day celebration and finds himself in a rather poor neighborhood where his fellow classmate resides, and slowly learns the simple joys of life. The making of this film was initially pushed back because of insufficient funding, but later the locals raised funds to get it back on track. Nov 17-20
Palestinian Film Festival
See a different side of Palestine at Singapore’s first Palestinian Film Festival happening next year. The festival will showcase five films that will unravel the different facets of Palestinian life that’s usually rarely or never seen by the public, as opposed to the civil unrest and violence often portrayed by the media. They’re still in the midst of raising funds for the festival, so check out their website and donate money, so we can see cool films like Speed Sisters, about the first all-women car racing team in the Middle East. Jan 19-22, 2017
