The 31st Singapore International Film Festival Goes Hybrid With Its Line-up of Over 70 Films4 min read

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The Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) returns for its 31st edition from 26 November to 6 December 2020. It will present a collection of over 70 films by auteurs from 49 countries through a hybrid format of both cinema and online film screenings. These films will be screened across multiple festival venus, including Shaw Lido, Filmgarde Bugis+, Oldham Theatre, The Projector and virtual platform The Projector Plus.

Tickets go on sale 6 November, 12pm via www.sgiff.com, SISTIC and www.theprojector.sg.

The festival looks to celebrate resilience and hope while renewing its purpose to discover Asian stories and deepen the appreciation of cinema in Singapore.

SGIFF’s Artistic Director, Kuo Ming-Jung shared, “We are pleased to bring the best, most impactful, moving and thought provoking films to the festival, to engage with audiences and the communities at large, because we believe a film festival can play a revitalising role in this unprecedented time.”

22 local films will be presented at the SGIFF, with Tiong Bahru Social Club directed by Singaporean filmmaker Tan Bee Thiam selected as its opening film. Screening at Shaw Lido on 26 November, the satirical comedy looks to deliver an amusing take on the ways we live today and questions the construct of happiness in Singapore.

Tan said, “I grew up with the festival, often running from screening to screening so I can catch as many films as possible. It’s here that I discovered the comedies of masters like Yoji Yamada and Jacque Tati, as well as contemporary voices like Maren Ade and Hong Sang-soo. It’s an incredible honour for Tiong Bahru Social Club to open SGIFF, a much valued platform for many filmmakers like me to find new audiences for the work we create, and new collaborators for the works we are going to make. Especially in a difficult year like 2020, I hope this film will bring you joy, as you reflect on the absurdities and priorities of life.”

Four Singaporean shorts are nominated for the Silver Screen Awards’ Southeast Asian Short Film competition, including The Smell of Coffee (2020) by Nishok Nishok, which premiered at the 2020 International Short Film Festival Oberhausen. The Singapore Panorama section will world premiere four features and showcase twelve shorts, including Citizen Hustler (2020) by Tan Biyun, which documents an evicted hawker’s journey after the closure of Sungei Road Flea market, and Faraway My Shadow Wandered (2020) by Liao Jiekai and Sudhee Liao that confronts a relationship with an unfamiliar hometown.

SGIFF’s Asian Feature Competition spotlights a new generation of exciting talent in Asia, including Beginning (2020) by Dea Kulumbegashvili, which won multiple awards at the San Sebastián Film Festival. It also showcases The Wasteland (2020) by Ahmad Bahrami that received Venice’s Best Film in the Orizzonti section and Milestone (2020) by Ivan Ayr that premiered at Venice this year. All eight features present their take on personal and generational issues, challenge moralities or unspeakable violence, and will collectively showcase the speed of change and momentous future of Asian filmmaking.

Sweeping, timely narratives that delve into the vulnerability and strengths of personal yet universal stories include this year’s Venice Film Festival Golden Lion winner Nomadland (2020) by director Chloé Zhao and starring Frances Mcdormand in a powerhouse performance of a middle-class woman who hits the road in her van, and Silver Lion winner Wife of a Spy (2020) by Japanese director Kiyoshi Kurosawa and Genus Pan (2020) by Fillipino filmmaker Lav Diaz, who took Orizzonti win for Best Director, and debut feature and Cannes selection Gagarine (2020) by French directors Fanny Liatard and Jérémy Trouilh.

Film lovers can look forward to hearing from established producer Shozo Ichiyama and critically acclaimed director Ann Hui, who will share the journey of their distinguished careers in Asian cinema at the Festival.

Over the 11 days, Festival goers can enjoy films either in cinemas or at home. While some films will show in cinemas only and virtual screenings are only accessible to audiences in Singapore, there will be talks and panel discussions made available online to engage international audiences. Minimising face-to-face interactions in cinemas, the Festival will provide Singapore audiences the opportunity to connect with filmmakers through online Q&As recorded by SGIFF after film screenings, using the questions received from audiences.

Executive Director of SGIFF, Emily J. Hoe said, “We look forward to giving voice to the diverse stories from home and abroad, to audiences here in Singapore, and we are grateful for the opportunity to be screening these films in venues and in homes for the festival.”

SGIFF is dedicated to the safety and well-being of audiences, filmmakers and the entire community and continues to work closely with venues to follow the latest directives from authorities.

SGIFF is an event of the Singapore Media Festival (SMF), hosted by Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA). SGIFF 2020’s Official Automobile is BMW.

For more information, visit www.sgiff.com and follow the festival on Facebook and Instagram.