Singapore International Film Festival
The Singapore International Film Festival is a film festival held annually in Singapore and is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia. Founded in 1987, the festival has a focus on showcasing international films and providing a global platform for the best of Singapore, Southeast Asian and East 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 and non-commercial films, the festival is now recognized worldwide by film critics 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, 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.
| Edition | Year | Opening film | Closing film | |
| 1st | 1987 | The Name of the Rose by Jean-Jacques Annaud | The Mission by Roland Joffé | |
| 2nd | 1989 | The Glass Menagerie by Paul Newman | Testimony by Tony Palmer | |
| 3rd | 1990 | The Children by Tony Palmer | Blue Steel by Kathryn Bigelow | |
| 4th | 1991 | Cyrano de Bergerac by Jean-Paul Rappeneau | Dreams by Akira Kurosawa | |
| 5th | 1992 | Raise the Red Lantern by Zhang Yimou | A Brighter Summer Day by Edward Yang | |
| 6th | 1993 | The Trial by David Jones | Strictly Ballroom by Baz Luhrmann | |
| 7th | 1994 | The Blue Kite by Tian Zhuangzhuang | The Scent of Green Papaya by Tran Anh Hung | |
| 8th | 1995 | The Red Lotus Society by Stan Lai | Amateur by Hal Hartley | |
| 9th | 1996 | The Confessional by Robert Lepage | Memories by Kōji Morimoto, Tensai Okamura and Katsuhiro Otomo | |
| 10th | 1997 | Gabbeh by Mohsen Makhmalbaf | Breaking the Waves by Lars von Trier | |
| 11th | 1998 | Hana-bi by Takeshi Kitano | Happy Together by Wong Kar-wai | |
| 12th | 1999 | Ordinary Heroes by Ann Hui | The Hole by Tsai Ming-liang | |
| 13th | 2000 | Monday by Sabu | The Wind Will Carry Us by Abbas Kiarostami | |
| 14th | 2001 | Yi Yi by Edward Yang | Eureka by Shinji Aoyama | |
| 15th | 2002 | Kandahar by Mohsen Makhmalbaf | What Time Is It There? by Tsai Ming-liang | |
| 16th | 2003 | Chi-hwa-seon by Im Kwon-taek | Divine Intervention by Elia Suleiman | |
| 17th | 2004 | Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring by Kim Ki-duk | Goodbye, Dragon Inn by Tsai Ming-liang | |
| 18th | 2005 | Steamboy by Katsuhiro Otomo | ' by Mamoru Oshii | |
| 19th | 2006 | Dunia by Jocelyne Saab | ' by Royston Tan | |
| 20th | 2007 | Sankara by Prasanna Jayakody | Opera Jawa by Garin Nugroho | |
| 21st | 2008 | The Princess of Nebraska by Wayne Wang | Road to Dawn by Derek Chiu | |
| 22nd | 2009 | Sincerely Yours by Rich Lee | Milk by Semih Kaplanoğlu | |
| 23rd | 2010 | Mao's Last Dancer by Bruce Beresford | Dear Doctor by Miwa Nishikawa | |
| 24th | 2011 | Red Light Revolution by Sam Voutas | Senna by Asif Kapadia | |
| 25th | 2014 | Unlucky Plaza by Ken Kwek | In the Absence of the Sun by Lucky Kuswandi | |
| 26th | 2015 | Panay by Cheng Yu-chieh | ||
| 27th | 2016 | Interchange by Dain Iskandar Said | ||
| 28th | 2017 | Angels Wear White by Vivian Qu | ||
| 29th | 2018 | Cities of Last Things by Ho Wi Ding | ||
| 30th | 2019 | Wet Season by Anthony Chen | The Truth by Hirokazu Kore-eda |
Awards
The Singapore International Film Festival is credited for the discovery and promotion of the most renowned Singaporean filmmakers 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 for the Critic's Prize.