SGIFF 2025
The Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) ran from 26 November to 7 December this year, and I got to watch a total of ten films, up from six last year.
Like last year, I got a Cinephile pass to SGIFF. For a 'donation' of $50 (because they are legally ?), I get to watch any film for free – as long as I join the rush queue early enough and the screening isn't utterly sold out.
My biggest impression from this year's SGIFF is that, despite the heartbreaking closures of arthouse darling The Projector and mainstream chain Cathay, the hunger for cinema has not waned at all.
A 10am Saturday screening of Brazil's entry to the Oscars for Best Foreign Film was packed out. I was also the very first one to be turned away from a 2pm Tuesday screening of Joachim Trier's latest film.
Here's what I saw over the two weeks:
| Film | Director | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Her | Shu Qi | Director and cast in attendance! |
| 2 | O Agente Secreto | Kleber Mendonça Filho | |
| 3 | Silent Friend | Ildikó Enyedi | Director and and lead Tony Leung in attendance! |
| 4 | Sandbox | James Thoo | Director and the entire cast in attendance |
| 5 | Late Fame | Kent Jones | |
| 6 | Hamnet | Chloé Zhao | |
| 7 | Rabbit Trap | Bryn Chainey | with director in attendance |
| 8 | Fire | Deepa Mehta | with director and lead Nandita Das in attendance! |
| 9 | Mag Mag | Yuriyan Retriever | Director and lead Sara Minami in attendance |
| 10 | Sentimental Value | Joachim Trier |
The SGIFF programming team deserve kudos and compliments for flying in an illustrious slate of actors and directors for post-show Q&As. I got to meet several cinema talents that I've admired for a very. Long. Time!
There is, as they say, no free lunch: obtaining the Cinephile pass requires me to post three film reviews on any online platform.
So starting from tomorrow, I will post reviews of my three favourite films right here. I'm hoping it's cozy Christmas reading this holiday season, a way to close out 2025 through cinema.
(OK lah, SGIFF did cater a free lunch from Grain for Cinephile Pass Holders! This was on the first weekend of the festival at the Lounge, which we also got access to!)
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