Singapore International Film Festival
Film festival in Singapore
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) (Chinese: 新加坡国际电影节) is the longest-running film festival in Singapore, founded in 1987.[1][2]
| |
| Location | Singapore |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1987 |
| Awards | Silver Screen Awards |
| Festival date | 26 November to 7 December 2025 |
| Website | sgiff |
The 36th Singapore International Film Festival took place from 26 November to 7 December 2025.
History
Originally launched to give local audiences an opportunity to watch independent and non-commercial films, the festival is now recognized worldwide by film critics[citation needed] for its focus on Asian filmmakers and promotion of Southeast Asian films.
The SGIFF was founded by Geoff Malone and Mill Valley Film Festival board member L. Leland Whitney in 1987.[3]
The 24th edition of SGIFF held in 2011 faced issues such as poor organisation and financial woes due to lack of sponsorships.[4] Founder Geoffrey Malone also resigned as the chairman of the Board of Directors with Shaw Soo Wei, former Executive Director of the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society, taking over as the chairman.[4]
The SGIFF went on a hiatus for the next two years and in 2013, Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim announced the 25th edition of the SGIFF will be held in 2014 in combination with the Asia TV Forum and Market, Screen Singapore and the Asian Television Awards in a two-week event.[4]
For the 33rd edition in 2022, the film #LookAtMe, directed by Ken Kwek, was originally scheduled to be screened at the SGIFF but was refused classification by Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), which effectively barred the film from being screened in Singapore for "its potential to cause enmity and social division".[5] IMDA, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, and Ministry of Home Affairs also stated that the pastor in the film engages "in an act prohibited by his professed religious faiths"; that the depictions of the pastor in the film are "suggestive of a real pastor in Singapore", and the allegations may be "perceived to be offensive, defamatory and contrary to the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act".[6] However, even with the ban, SGIFF decided to include the film in its advertised line-up, though the film was marked as unavailable for screening.[7][8]
For the 35th edition in 2024, the SGIFF was managed by a new general manager, Jeremy Chua.[9] Local actress Rebecca Lim was named as SGIFF's first ambassador for the festival.[9] Daniel Hui's film, Small Hours Of The Night, an official selection for the SGIFF was submitted for classification by IMDA for the festival but was refused classification by IMDA in November.[10] The lack of classification for the film resulted it being unable to screen at the SGIFF.[10] SGIFF programme director Thong Kay Wee continued to support the film and list it as an official selection.[10]
Overview
Awards
The Silver Screen Awards Competition was introduced in 1991 to encourage advances in Asian film-making standards.[46] Every year, a selection of Asian feature and short films take part in the competition. In 2014, the Southeast Asian Short Film category was introduced, replacing the Singapore Short Film category. The first Southeast Asian Film Lab was introduced in 2015.[47]