The 34th edition of the Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) today announced the return of two of its awards, the Cinema Icon Award and the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) Award, which were last part of the Silver Screen Awards in 2019 and 2006 respectively.
This year, the festival is celebrating the largest number of awards in over a decade. The reintroduction of two prestigious awards, in addition to the Outstanding Contribution to Southeast Asian Cinema Award, highlights SGIFF's pivotal role as a platform that harnesses the vibrancy of the film industry.
“For many, an award is a stamp of recognition or a form of approval by fellow industry players but it does much more. In the film industry, an award sets the stage for better films to be produced, reinforcing it as a platform for not only recognising excellence but also shaping the future of the industry for the film ecosystem,” said Emily J Hoe, Executive Director, SGIFF.
“This recognition not only propels the works of producers onto the global stage but also significantly influences consumers' film choices. We are honoured that SGIFF has served as the premier platform for over three decades, fostering a space where filmmakers, cinephiles, and film enthusiasts can converge over shared interests. Simultaneously, it has played a pivotal role in elevating the contributions of the independent Asian film industry,” Ms Hoe continued.
The Awards in Focus
After 17 years, film critics will now get a share of the limelight with the reintroduction of the FIPRESCI Award, an award that both sheds light on the role of film critics and will be fronted by notable jury members who have served on numerous global film festival juries.
The Cinema Icon Award 2023 is awarded to Chinese actress and producer Fan Bingbing, not only celebrating her outstanding filmography and bringing Asian stories to life onscreen but also recognising the ineffable impact she has indented as a creative force in the film industry.
Fan will grace the red carpet event on the festival's Opening Night, on 30 November.
Previously known as the Cinema Legend Award, the refreshed Cinema Icon Award boasts an elite roster of A-listers as past recipients of the award, such as Michelle Yeoh (Malaysia), Simon Yam (Hong Kong), Koji Yakusho (Japan), Joan Chen (US/China), and Yao Chen (China).
In addition to the comeback of the FIPRESCI and Cinema Icon Awards, the Outstanding Contribution to Southeast Asian Cinema Award 2023 is awarded to White Light Post in recognition of their award-winning achievements in post-production work.
ICON IN FOCUS: Fan Bingbing's Cinematic Return
Fans of Fan can hope to catch three screenings of films she has starred in, curated by the actress herself. GREEN NIGHT, BUDDHA MOUNTAIN and DOUBLE XPOSURE highlight Fan's award-winning acting career and solidify her virtuosity and magnetic screen presence. As an SGIFF Special Presentation film on 2 December, Han Shuai's GREEN NIGHT offers a unique twist by adapting film noir's gritty masculinity to depict a gentle yet unflinching female bond. The story follows an adrenaline-packed journey of two vastly different women who, due to circumstances, find themselves on the run, striving to survive Seoul's unforgiving drug underworld. Their shared predicament blossoms into a profound tenderness and unwavering solidarity. GREEN NIGHT initially premiered at Berlinale in February and is eagerly anticipated for its upcoming premiere in Singapore at SGIFF.
BUDDHA MOUNTAIN directed by Li Yu follows three wayward youths and their landlady, a retired opera singer, as they navigate teenage angst and ennui intertwined with an elder's perspective on grief and loss.
The film won Best Asian Feature Film at the 24th SGIFF and Fan won the Best Actress Award at Tokyo International Film Festival.Li Yu's DOUBLE XPOSURE is yet another stirring psychological thriller of a plastic surgeon's journey into the abyss of her mind after she uncovers her boyfriend and best friend's affair. The film dabbles in the complications of trauma that come with the deranged state of pursuing revenge and murder.
Festival Programme Uplift
This year, the Festival's FOREGROUND section catapults movie goers into the international film landscape as it features films that are bold in interpretation that features today's international artistes. Some of these highly anticipated titles include Venice Golden Lion award winner, Yorgos Lanthimos' POOR THINGS, starring Emma Stone and Mark Ruffalo, Andrew Haigh's critically-acclaimed ALL OF US ARE STRANGERS and starring Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott, and LA CHIMERA by Alice Rohrwacher which was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at Cannes earlier this year. The film, POOR THINGS, will not be screened locally, and will only be available during the Festival.
In this edition of the Festival, the DOMAIN section will feature an interactive exhibition and talk focused on resurfacing Singapore's hidden film histories. Housed in Aliwal Arts Centre this year, DOMAIN: NOT HOUSED excavates the hidden enclaves of Singapore's underground and experimental film history, that have been neglected for decades since the 1960s.
The introduction of LANDMARK, a new section in partnership with the Asian Film Archive (AFA), focuses on the curation of newly-restored classics from different regions worldwide. Headlining LANDMARK would be the highly acclaimed film TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME (1992) by David Lynch that will be screened at the SGIFF after its meticulous restoration in 2022.
This year's Festival not only debuts a staggering 20 world premieres (refer to Annex A), including the prominent nine-time Golden Horse Award nominated film SNOW IN MIDSUMMER, directed by Chong Keat Aun, it also saw the highest number of films selected in competition by Singaporean directors since 1997. Nominations for the highly prestigious Asian Feature Film Competition includeJow Zhi Wei's TOMORROW IS A LONG TIME,Nelson Yeo's DREAMING & DYING, andNicole Midori Woodford's LAST SHADOW AT FIRST LIGHT are a must-watch for all festival-goers. Please refer to Annex B for more details about the Festival's programme highlights.
“The 34th edition of SGIFF is primed to deliver a plethora of films that amalgamates the best works from our film talents across the globe. This is an exceptionally strong year for Singapore's feature filmmaking with two Singapore co-productions and three Singaporean debuts nominated for the Asian Feature Film Competition. I have no doubt that in the years to come, SGIFF will continue to be one of the luminary film festivals in an industry that propels the endeavours of cinephiles and creators to greater heights as we navigate through the rich tapestry of the Southeast Asia film industry,” enthused Thong Kay Wee, Programme Director, SGIFF.
Festival Details: Festival Pass and Venues
SGIFF will be launching its first ever Festival Pass this year for purchase at $200. The pass grants unlimited access to all screenings at the Festival with the exception of Festival Opening, Special Presentation and ticketed forum events.
The 34th SGIFF will be hosted across multiple festival venues, with screenings at Filmgarde Kallang, Golden Village X The Projector at Cineleisure, Gallery Theatre at National Museum of Singapore, Oldham Theatre, Shaw Theatres Lido, The Projector at Golden Mile.
FORUM Panels will be held at Aliwal Arts Centre, Flexispace at LASALLE College of the Arts, Roselle-Simpor Ballroom at Marina Bay Sands and Oldham Theatre.
Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) is an event of the Singapore Media Festival (SMF), hosted by Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA). 2023 marks the 10th edition of the Singapore Media Festival, rallying Asia's most passionate media professionals, industry leaders, talent and content creators to “Make It Here”.
Early Bird tickets for SGIFFriends are available for purchase at SGIFF.com from 26 October, Thursday, 12pm. Official Ticket Sales commence 27 October, Friday, 12pm.
For more information and ticket purchase, visit sgiff.com and @sgiffest.
