There’s been much buzz lately with Singapore’s film front—two huge Singaporean-made films will be screened at an international film festival in Busan next month, one of which has been submitted to the Academy Awards for consideration under the Best Foreign Language Film category. While we applaud the achievements of our very own directors, there are a few other great film festivals happening within our homeground in the months to come.
Israel Film Festival
Now into its 24th edition, making it one of oldest film festivals in Singapore, this year’s hoorah will see five different films being screened over four days (Sep 22-25) at Singapore’s favorite indie cinema go-to, The Projector. Expect films like The Farewell Party, a story about an unlikely group of friends at a retirement home where one of them receives terrible news about his health; Encirclements, a family drama where a thirteen-year-old son wins over his estranged father’s heart after being picked to carry the Torah scroll during the Simhat Torah celebrations; the LGBT-themed film Who’s Gonna Love Me Now?; and more.
SJ50 Film Festival
This film festival was essentially organized to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Japan, and there are quite a number of short films from both Japan and Singapore to check out, ranging from dramas, documentaries to animations and experimental ones over the two days. The SJ50 Film Festival takes place at the Asian Civilisation Museum from Oct 21-22. Admission is free, but you will be required to register prior.
Perspectives Film Festival
Apart from all the major film festivals we’ve had in the past month, another one that stands out annually is the student-run Perspectives Film Festival, which returns for its ninth edition from Oct 27-30. Exploring the theme of Surrealism, they’ve put together a program of seven films, four of which are making their Singapore debuts.
Singapore International Film Festival
Southeast Asia’s longest-running international film festival returns for the 27th time, acting as a platform for independent filmmakers to showcase their work on a more regional level. Held from Nov 23-Dec 4, details on the films that’ll be featured this year will only be released next week on Sep 21. (We hope and pray that it’s K. Rajagopal’s A Yellow Bird, which has yet to see a formal screening in its hometown, despite premiering at Cannes alongside Boo Junfeng’s The Apprentice.) Look out for updates on their Facebook page and website.
