With over 100 selections, it's so hard to choose what to watch at the upcoming Singapore International Film Festival! Which is why we singled out some picks for you for the festival that will be running December 4 - 14. Lots of thrillers, some dark comedy, but all outstanding films that you should catch. 

Browse through all the movies here 

UNLUCKY PLAZA

Unlucky Plaza is a thrilling ride revolving around a restauranteur who forced to engage in desperate measures when his business and personal life goes awry. He gets into some pretty intense situations and meets the most riveting characters along the way. Very good acting, and even more exciting plot - there’s a reason why this is the opening film for SGIFF this year. 

Little People, Big Dreams

The Kingdom of Little People in Kunming, China is a theme park which features performances by people with dwarfism. A poignant insight into what it feels to look different, Little People, Big Dreams explores shades of day-to-day morality in the most unexpected kingdom. 

Lang Tong

Creating quite a stir with the sensational elements of this film, Lang Tong (meaning ’nice soup’) is a bold and unapologetic thriller. Sex, betrayal, murder, and bak kut teh, the thriller borrows influences from similar cult slasher flicks such as Takashi Miike’s Audition and Fruit Chan’s Dumplings. 

Clouds of Sils Maria

Probably the most star-studded cast from the lineup, Clouds of Sils Maria features Juliette Binoche (who will be at the opening of SGIFF), Kristen Stewart, and Chloe Grace Moretz. This multi-layered, play within a movie, femme-driven meta-fiction film focuses on famous French actress who revisits and gets cast in the very play where she had her big break. 

Canopy

With his plane shot down over the jungles of Singapore in World War II, an Australian pilot has to fight for survival. Almost wordless and without solid dialogue, the Canopy is tense, atomspheric, and beautifully shot - this wartime thriller is a promising debut. 

The Obs: A Singapore Story

One of Singapore’s revered bands, The Observatory have been active for a long time. Consistently putting out much acclaimed material, the band would know quite a lot about the challenges of being an artist in Singapore which they will be addressing in this documentary film. 

Eden

One for the music fans, Eden is a love song to the French Touch era of house music and electronica. It retraces the steps of the movement, dating back to 1992 with bands like Daft Punk and more and are still successful today. You follow Paul, a young man who takes his first steps as a DJ. 

Short films

If you like your films bite-sized, catch the short film programmes available at the SGIFF this year. Featuring shorts from local and regional filmmakers, and with everything covered from the experience of foreign workers, a surreal one about moving to Mars, a boy with no name - there’s something for everyone

Filmmaker in Focus: Ahmad Abdalla

One of the most prominent filmmakers from the new generation of Egyptian Cinema, Ahmad Abdalla is known for his innovative and unique approach to filmmaking, which is often a fascinating hybrid of fiction and documentary, astute observations of the Egyptian society. 

Films screened at SGIFF: Decor, Heliopolis, Microphone, Rags And Tatters

Filmmaker in Focus: Im Kwon-Taek

Known as the father of modern Korean cinema, Im Kwon-Taek is one of South Korea’s most respected and prolific directors. He has enjoyed a long and active career and has directed more than 100 films that explore themes of tradition, culture, and the idea of Korean identity. 

Films screened at SGIFF: Mandala, Revivre, Village In The East