SGIFF 2025 spotlights female-driven stories and global voices

Showtimes

News

SGIFF 2025 spotlights female-driven stories and global voices

Writer: Ann Tan

Don't miss the 36th edition of the Singapore Int'l Film Fest

27 Oct - The Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF), part of the Singapore Media Festival 2025 hosted by IMDA and held in Singapore, has announced its full line-up for the 36th edition, taking place from 26 November to 7 December 2025. The festival will showcase over 120 films from more than 45 countries, spotlighting work that explores identity, resilience and self-discovery.

This year's edition celebrates fearless storytelling and creative vision with a rich line-up highlighting female-driven stories, restored classics and bold contemporary voices. SGIFF will award its first-ever female recipient of the Cinema Honorary Award, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Deepa Mehta, and its first-ever South Korean recipient of the Screen Icon Award, Oscar-winning actress Youn Yuh-jung.

The festival officially opened on 26 November with a screening of international star Shu Qi's award-winning directorial debut "Girl." Filmmaker Shu Qi, lead actor Bai Xiao-Ying and actor-singer 9m88 were in attendance, marking one of the festival's most anticipated red-carpet moments.

Shu Qi will also appear in "Resurrection," directed by Bi Gan, presented in the festival's Undercurrent section, and will be In Conversation with Mediacorp Artiste and returning Festival Ambassador Rebecca Lim on 27 November.

Rebecca Lim returns as Festival Ambassador for second year

"I am humbled and immensely honoured to be appointed as Festival Ambassador of SGIFF once again," Rebecca said. "My first experience last year was a huge eye-opener. I was exposed to so many wonderful and inspiring films and individuals. I was especially inspired by filmmakers who, against all odds, chose to tell their stories. I hope to continue shedding light on films that carry important messages and can brighten your day."

At the heart of the festival are more than 30 feature and short films by Singaporean filmmakers and co-producers. Doubling SGIFF's local short film selection compared to last year, the festival will present these works across the Southeast Asian Short Film Competition and Singapore Panorama. Several world premieres, including "Sandbox", "At Home with Work" and "Cendol", illuminate the resilience of local communities and the creative spirit that continues to define Singapore's cinematic voice.

SGIFF also welcomed Argentinian filmmaker Lucrecia Martel as Jury Head of this year's Asian Feature Film Competition. In a significant evolution, the competition has expanded beyond emerging directors to include filmmakers at every stage of their careers. This year's competition line-up features "A Useful Ghost" by Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke (Thailand), "Always" by Chen Deming (China), "Amoeba" by Tan Siyou (Singapore) and "Cactus Pears" by Rohan Parashuram Kanawade (India), among others.

Shu Qi wrote and directed "Girl"

Festival Opening: "Girl" by Shu Qi
Set in 1980s Taipei, "Girl" tells the story of ten-year-old Hsiao-lee, who endures her mother's exhaustion and her father's drunken rages, finding solace in friendship with precocious classmate Li-li. When Li-li convinces Hsiao-lee to skip class and explore the city, their day of freedom sets off a chain of events that forever changes Hsiao-lee's life. A regular collaborator of Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-hsien, Shu Qi brings a painterly, poetic sensibility to her semi-autobiographical debut.

"Girl" opens Singapore International Film Festival

Cinema Honorary Award: Deepa Mehta
The Cinema Honorary Award will be presented to Oscar-nominated Indian-born Canadian filmmaker Deepa Mehta, marking the first time a female filmmaker receives this honour. Introduced in 2014, the award celebrates filmmakers who have made exceptional contributions to Asian cinema. Past recipients include Japan's Takashi Miike, Indonesia's Garin Nugroho, and Iran's Jafar Panahi in 2024.

SGIFF will host an "In Conversation With Deepa Mehta" session on 5 December at 7pm at The Ngee Ann Kongsi Auditorium, National Gallery Singapore. There will also be a retrospective showcase titled Deepa Mehta in Focus, including her acclaimed Elements trilogy-"Fire" (1996), "Earth" (1998) and "Water" (2005)-as well as "Funny Boy" (2020).

Youn Yuh-jung

Screen Icon Award: Youn Yuh-jung
This year's Screen Icon Award will be presented to Youn Yuh-jung, one of South Korea's most acclaimed actors and the first South Korean recipient. The award recognises performers whose artistry has shaped the storytelling landscape across the region.

With a career spanning over five decades, Youn Yuh-jung is renowned for her fearless portrayals of women who defy convention, most memorably in "Woman of Fire" (1971) and her international breakthrough in "Minari" (2020). The latter role garnered her Best Supporting Actress at the Academy Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards and British Academy Film Awards-a historic first for a Korean actress.

SGIFF will host an exclusive "In Conversation With Youn Yuh-jung" session on 6 December, offering audiences a rare opportunity to engage with the veteran actor.

Female-Driven Landmark Section
The section will feature restored classics including "The Arch" (1968) by Tang Shushuen, Hong Kong's first female film director, "Gehenu Lamai" (1978) by Sumitra Peries, Sri Lanka's first female filmmaker, and "The Razor's Edge" (1985) by Jocelyne Saab, Lebanon's pioneering female filmmaker.

Foreground Spotlight
The festival's Foreground section will see the festival's second red-carpet event, a Special Presentation of "This City Is A Battlefield" on 5 December at GV VivoCity, welcoming acclaimed Indonesian filmmaker Mouly Surya with lead actors Chicco Jerikho, Ariel Tatum and Jerome Kurnia.

The Foreground section opens on 27 November with "Arco", a hand-drawn animated feature co-presented with the vOilah! French Film Festival. Animator Adam Sillard will be in attendance.

SGIFF is in discussions with the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth to include eligible local film programmes under the SG Culture Pass, enhancing Singaporeans' access to local arts and heritage experiences. SGIFF Industry Days will also return this year following its successful inaugural edition in 2024.

Early bird tickets are available from 12PM today, with public sales commencing at 12PM on 31 October.

For more information, please visit sgiff.com.

Cinema Online, 27 October 2025