Cinema takes centre stage once again as the 36th Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) returns from 26 November to 7 December, shining a spotlight on homegrown voices and the power of art to endure amid change.
Part of the Singapore Media Festival 2025 hosted by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), this year’s edition will feature over 30 feature and short films by Singaporean filmmakers and co-productions, reaffirming its role as a cultural anchor and launchpad for Southeast Asian cinema.
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“In a time when cinema feels upended by the weight of pragmatism in Singapore, we are more determined than ever to defend it as an essential cultural offering,” said SGIFF Programme Director Thong Kay Wee, underscoring the festival’s mission to keep the big screen alive as a space for imagination and shared experience.
The 36th SGIFF will present more than 110 films from 45 countries, with local premieres and world debuts anchoring the festival’s celebration of resilience and creativity.
Highlights include Sandbox, starring Benjamin Kheng, Nathan Hartono, and Oon Shu An — a heartfelt comedy about a struggling stunt school fighting for survival, and a witty nod to the realities of Singapore’s creative industries. At Home with Work offers a poignant documentary portrait of Singaporeans running home-based businesses, exploring the blurry line between personal and professional life. Cendol, actor Qi Yuwu’s directorial debut starring Sharon Au, tells the story of an award-winning designer returning home to reconnect with her mother in a moving reflection on identity and belonging.
Also screening is Coda, which follows alumni choir Victoria Chorale as 42 singers reunite under conductor Nelson Kwei to compete internationally after nearly two decades. 10s Across the Borders, directed by Chan Sze-Wei, celebrates Southeast Asia’s queer ballroom pioneers and the artistry of self-expression. Audiences can also rediscover a piece of cinematic history through Dream of the Red Chamber, a rare 1970s Singapore-set adaptation by the late Taiwanese filmmaker Chiu Kang-chien, restored in collaboration with the Asian Film Archive.
Beyond screenings, SGIFF continues to play a pivotal role in nurturing local and regional talent through the SGIFF Film Fund, which supports filmmakers in bringing their stories from script to screen. Public forums and discussions will also explore the evolving habits of cinema-goers and the future of independent filmmaking in Singapore and beyond.
“As much as SGIFF is about celebrating cinema, it is also about ensuring that Singaporean stories continue to be made and seen,” said Jeremy Chua, SGIFF General Manager. “With initiatives like the SGIFF Film Fund and the doubling of our local short film selection, we want to create more avenues for filmmakers to share their work and for audiences to take pride in our diversity of voices.”
The full SGIFF 2025 programme and ticketing details will be announced at 12 PM on 24 October via sgiff.com
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