The Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) will shift its festival dates earlier to late October and has promoted Jeremy Chua to executive director.
The 37th edition of the festival is set to run from October 21-November 1, instead of the usual late November to early December slot. It is a strategic move that aims to enable the festival to reach local audiences without competing directly with the year-end slate of Hollywood blockbusters.
“The decision to reposition the festival reflects our intention to place greater emphasis on the distribution and exhibition needs of independent and auteur cinema,” said Chua, who has served the festival as general manager since 2023. “By collaborating more closely with distributors during a more suitable release period, we aim to strengthen reach and engagement beyond the festival itself.”
The shift to October will bring SGIFF closer to the autumn festivals in Asia, positioning it shortly after Busan (October 6-15) and running parallel with Tokyo (October 27-November 5), while moving away from Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival in late November and its rising JAFF Market.
The position of executive director at SGIFF has been vacant since Emily Hoe left in 2023. Boo Junfeng remains as chairperson and Thong Kay Wee as programme director.
“Jeremy brings a filmmaker’s perspective and a strong commitment to championing independent filmmakers while caring deeply about how their films can engage wider audiences,” said Boo.
Chua is an award-winning producer whose credits include 2023 Cannes Camera d’Or winner Inside The Yellow Cocoon Shell by Pham Thien An; Some Rain Must Fall by Qiu Yang, winner of the special jury prize at 2024 Berlinale’s Encounters; and most recently Filipinana by Rafael Manuel, winner of the special jury prize in Sundance’s World Dramatic Competition, which is set to play in the Berlinale’s Perspectives competition.
Chua is also the recipient of the 2023 FIAPF Outstanding Contribution to Asia Pacific Cinema Award and a Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters.
The festival’s strategic review has also put the SGIFF Film Fund on a temporary hiatus as it aims to better strengthen its support for Southeast Asian filmmaking in response to the regional industry’s evolving needs.
The SGIFF Film Fund has awarded $700,000 (S$885,000) to nearly 50 independent feature documentaries and short films across the region since its inception in 2018 through two grants: the Tan Ean Kiam Foundation-SGIFF Southeast Asian Documentary (SEA-DOC) Grant and SGIFF Southeast Asian Short Film (SEA-SHORTS) Grant.
Notable recipients include feature documentaries Aswang by Alyx Ayn Arumpac from the Philippines and Monisme by Riar Rizaldi from Indonesia as well as short films Mulberry Fields by Nguyễn Trung Nghĩa from Vietnam and BLEAT! by Ananth Subramaniam from Malaysia.
SGIFF is supported by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA).
No comments yet