The Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) ( Chinese: 新加坡国际电影节) is the longest-running

film festival A film festival is an organized, extended presentation of films in one or more cinemas or screening venues, usually in a single city or region. Increasingly, film festivals show some films outdoors. Films may be of recent date and, depending upo ...

in Singapore. Founded in 1987, the festival has a focus on showcasing international films and providing a global platform for the best of

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...

and Southeast Asian cinema. Over the decades, it has grown to become an important event in the Singapore arts calendar.

History

Originally launched to give local audiences an opportunity to watch

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...

and non-commercial films, the festival is now recognized worldwide by

film critics Film criticism is the analysis and evaluation of films and the film medium. In general, film criticism can be divided into two categories: journalistic criticism that appears regularly in newspapers, magazines and other popular mass-media outlets ...

for its focus on Asian filmmakers and promotion of Southeast Asian films. SGIFF is committed to nurturing and championing homegrown talents, and to new discoveries in the art of filmmaking. Its festivities bring to this city a vibrant film culture and a deeper appreciation of its cinematic cultural life. The event serves as a catalyst to arouse the widest public interest in the arts, encouraging artistic dialogue and creative discovery. SGIFF is devoted to giving thousands of film lovers around the region direct access to the world’s most inspired films. Featuring overseas and local artists in an eclectic array of world and

Asian cinema Asian cinema refers to the film industries and films produced in the continent of Asia. However, in countries like the United States, it is often used to refer only to the cinema of East Asia, Southeast Asia and South Asia. West Asian cinema is s ...

, the event aims to open up new perspectives, make new connections and reach out to over 100,000 participants over an 11-day period. Audiences will enjoy a plethora of activities including film screenings, master classes, fringe events, discussions and awards ceremonies. The possibilities for creative interaction and the resulting exceptional synergies between the film market and other disciplines defines the Singapore International Film Festival.

Awards

The Singapore International Film Festival is credited for the discovery and promotion of the most renowned Singaporean

filmmaker Filmmaking (film production) is the process by which a motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, starting with an initial story, idea, or commission. It then continues through screenwriting, castin ...

s who are recognized globally today. Introduced in 1991, the Silver Screen Awards is an annual event that celebrates excellence in Singapore and Asian cinema. The Silver Screen Awards features the Asian Feature Film Competition which awards the Best Film, Best Director, Best Performance, Best Cinematography and the

NETPAC Award The Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) is a worldwide organization of 29 member countries. It was created as the result of a conference on Asian cinema organized by Cinemaya, the Asian Film Quarterly, in New Delhi in 1990 at the inst ...

for the Critic's Prize.

References

External links

About SGIFF
{{Silver Screen Awards for Best Film Film festivals in Singapore