The 28th Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) came to a close today, after 11 days of immersive festivities that celebrated and inspired the discovery of independent cinema. More than 14,000 festival goers from Singapore and across the region were drawn to its film screenings, panel discussions, talks and masterclasses.

Putting the spotlight on cinematic works from the region, the internationally-recognised film festival showcased 112 feature and short films from 42 countries, with 31 sold out screenings ““ the highest since the Festival returned in 2014. Festival-goers were also enthralled by the short film programmes this year, with four sold-out Southeast Asian Short Film and Singapore Panorama Short Film programmes. This is a testament to the growing support and interest towards independent cinema.

Today, the Festival also announced Call Me By Your Name by director Luca Guadagnino as the Audience Choice Award recipient this year, after the active voting by festival goers over the 11 days. The wonderfully sensual coming of age queer drama features a whirlwind love story between a 17-year-old youth and his father’s 24-year-old research assistant. It was also the first film to have both its screenings sell out at this year’s Festival.

Film still from Audience Choice Award recipient Call Me By Your Name by Luca Guadagnino

The film was rescreened at the National Museum of Singapore last Sunday, alongside the winners of this year’s Best Southeast Asian Short Film, Jodilerks Dela Cruz, Employee of the Month by Carlo Francisco Manatad, Best Singapore Short Film Between Us Two by Tan Wei Keong, and Best Asian Feature Film Disappearance by Ali Asgari, which were revealed at the Silver Screen Awards last night.

Glitz and glamour descended on our shores as the Festival also saw a star-studded line-up of distinguished film personalities from all around the world who met with festival goers at the various red-carpet galas at the Marina Bay Sands and Capitol Theatre, and passionate sharing sessions by filmmakers and cast at masterclasses and talks. This included international icon David Beckham, Star Wars actress Kelly Marie Tran, Crazy Rich Asian actor Henry Golding, Academy Awards-nominated director Shekhar Kapur, esteemed cinematographer Christopher Doyle, veteran Indian actress Waheeda Rehman, Japanese personalities Joe Odagiri, Koji Yakusho, Takumi Saitoh, Shioli Kutsuna, Shinobu Terajima, and Indonesian actress Marsha Timothy.

The Festival also concluded its inaugural Southeast Asian Producers Network which brought together the movers and shakers of the regional producing industry, who shared their experiences and the art of their craft with an eager audience.

SGIFF Executive Director, Yuni Hadi, said, “Putting the Festival together has always been an inspiring journey as we delve deep into the creativity and bold artistry present in our regional cinema, while keeping an open mind to new developments that present opportunities to the industry. As a platform that aims to be a tastemaker in inspiring the discovery of independent cinema, we are heartened to see fruitful dialogues facilitated; achievements of our regional talents celebrated; and new friendships forged. We hope that this edition of the Festival has sparked new perspectives in our festival goers, and we look forward to more joining us in this journey to embrace the future of cinema.”

Founded in 1987, the Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) is the largest andlongest-running film event in Singapore. It has become an iconic event in the local arts calendar that is widely attended by international film critics, and known for its dynamicprogramming and focus on ground-breaking Asian cinema for Singapore and the region. Committed to nurturing and championing local and regional talent, its competition component, the Silver Screen Awards, brings together emerging filmmakers from Asia and Southeast Asia while paying tribute to acclaimed cinema legends. With its mentorship programmes, masterclasses and dialogues with attending filmmakers, the Festival also serves as a catalyst for igniting public interest, artistic dialogue, and cultural exchanges in the art of filmmaking. The SGIFF is organised by the Singapore International Film Festival Ltd, a non-profit organisation with Institution of Public Character (IPC) status.

The SGIFF is an event of the Singapore Media Festival, hosted by Info-communications Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA). SGIFF’s Official Sponsors include Presenting Sponsor, Marina Bay Sands, Official Festival Time Partner, IWC Schaffhausen, Official International Realtor, List Sotheby’s, Official Automobile, BMW, and Official Airline, Singapore Airlines.

For more information, you may go to the SGIFF website here: http://sgiff.com/