International stars and directors including Anthony Wong, Park Sung-hoon and Hirokazu Koreeda will be attending the upcoming 37th Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF).
The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) announced on Sept 25 that the annual festival to be held from Oct 21 to Nov 1, will feature a lineup of over 100 films.
The opening film this year is South Korean thriller The Assassin(s), which stars Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il and Lee Min-ho.
Inspired by the attempted assassination of South Korean president Park Chung-hee on Liberation Day in 1974, the film explores the unresolved parts of the case as senior police superintendent Park Cheol-gu (Hae-jin), newspaper editor Kim Jae-hwan (Hae-il) and rookie reporter Han Young-il (Min-ho) resolve to unearth the truth, risking their careers and lives to pursue justice.
Director Hur Jin-ho as well as supporting cast members Sung-hoon and Shim Eun-kyung, who play prosecutor Kim Hak-soo and helper Lee Kang-ja respectively, will be attending the festival opening.
Japanese director Hirokazu will be presented the Cinema Honorary Award to recognise his exceptional and enduring contribution to Asian cinema. His film Look Back (2026) will also be screened at the festival.
Indian actor Aamir Khan will be receiving the Screen Icon Award to honour his profound impact as creative forces in films. He will also be attending a special presentation and the 25th anniversary screening of his film Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001) alongside filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker.
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SGIFF’s In Conversation With public dialogue series, which delves into artistry behind the silver screens, will host sessions with talents including Hong Kong filmmaker Peter Chan, Hong Kong actor Anthony Wong and Eun-kyung.
Anthony will also be participating in a post-screening dialogue for his first acting role in My Name Ain’t Suzie (1985), where he played Jimmy Koch.
Highlighting Singapore talents
The festival is also spotlighting more than 25 Singapore productions and co-productions that have received recognition at film festivals including Cannes, Sundance, Toronto, Venice and Melbourne.
These films include Ang Geck Geck’s Ah Girl, Nelson Yeo’s The House on the Moon, Nagi Notes which is co-produced by Tan Si En, Sleep No More and The Burning Giants edited by Daniel Hui, as well as Four Seasons in Java, co-produced by Anthony Chen.
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IMDA’s Media Industry Group assistant chief executive Yvonne Tang said: “SGIFF is an important platform for talent development and content discovery, connecting Singapore filmmakers with leading international practitioners and the wider industry.
“These opportunities help media professionals hone their craft, build meaningful networks and open doors to new collaborations, while strengthening Singapore’s position in the regional and international media landscape.
“Through our support for SGIFF, IMDA aims to strengthen the pathways for Singapore talent to grow and bring compelling stories to audiences here and around the world.”
Early bird presale for SGIFF begins on Sept 25, while tickets will be available for purchase from Sept 28.
Singaporeans can use their SG Culture Pass credits to enjoy eligible local film programmes during general ticket sales.
yeo.shuhui@asiaone.com
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