Singapore festival lifts wraps on Silver Screen competition
SINGAPORE: Eight films will compete for the Silver Screen feature award at next month’s Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF).
The competition selection includes Dragonfly Eyes, by China’s Xu Bing and The Great Buddha+, a Taiwanese movie directed by Huang Hsin-yao and shot extensively on an iPhone.
Other contenders are Ali Asgari’s Disappearance, Ana Urushadze’s Scary Mother, Tan Seng Kiat’s Shuttle Life, starring Sylvia Chang, Anucha Boonyawatana’s Malila The Farewell Flower, Matan Yair’s Scaffolding and Sekal Niskala’s The Seen and Unseen.
Angels Wear White by Vivian Qu is to be screened out of competition.
The festival is giving a special presentation to Oh Lucy!, by Japanese first-time feature filmmaker Atsuko Hirayanagi. The film stars Shinobu Terajima and Josh Hartnett. Canneswinner, The Square play in the same section, as does Mouly Surya’s Marlina The Murderer in Four Acts.
The festival will present Indonesian filmmaker Garin Nugroho with an honorary award for his contribution to the film industry. A cinema legend award will be conferred on Japan’s leading actor, Koji Yakusho.
“The demand for quality content has never been greater today. In the last one year, we have witnessed bold experimentation from film auteurs to showcase diversity in storylines, genres and styles, as they push the envelope in film making. Staying true to our role as a vital focal point to uncover these gems and boundary-pushing creativity, this year’s festival line-up provides an insight into the talent that permeates the region and showcases the promise of the industry here in Asia,” said SGIFF’s newly installed programme director Pimpaka Towira.
The festival runs from Nov 23 Nov to Dec 3.