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Celebrating Singapore Stories

Singapore Film Commission looks to celebrating its 25th anniversary with activities to raise awareness of Singapore’s media scene. By: Toh Yan Yun

Singapore – From 4 August to 31 October, the Singapore Film Commission (SFC) will be hosting a range of activities for the general public to celebrate its 25th anniversary and gain a better appreciation of the local film industry and the talent behind it. The commission has been instrumental in championing the growth of Singapore’s film industry and has supported more than 800 short films, scripts, feature films, and film-related events in Singapore.

Themed “Our Stories, Well-Told”, the celebrations highlight distinctively Singaporean moments and issues that have moulded some of the country’s best local films. It also aims to foster appreciation for home-grown content among Singaporeans. In conjunction with National Day, the commission will be having free screenings of 25 acclaimed local movies and short films at The Esplanade's Concourse, Outdoor Theatre and Recital Studio. The line-up spans different genres from comedy to animation and drama, and will be available across four weeks from 4 to 26 August.

Attendees will be treated to kacang puteh and the opportunity to interact with cast members of local filmmaker, Mr Royston Tan’s popular hit getai film, 881. Award-winning actors, Ms Yeo Yann Yann and Mr Qi Yuwu as well as getai veteran, Mrs Liu Ling Ling will be sharing their experience working on Singapore’s first musical feature film and the impact of the film’s success on their career.

IMDA is also organising several in-person industry sharing sessions from September to October to encourage youths to consider a career in the media industry. Aimed at students between 17 and 23 years, these sessions will take place across six institutes of Higher Learning, namely the LASALLE College of the Arts, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Nanyang Polytechnic, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Republic Polytechnic, and Singapore Polytechnic. Renowned local media practitioners such as Mr Kin Leonn, who composed all the original music featured in The Breaking Ice; Mr Lim Teck Siang, the cinematographer known for working on Arnold Is a Model Student; and Mr Sunny Pang, Golden Horse Nominee Stunt Choreographer involved in local crime thriller, Geylang, will be present at the scene.

Additionally, best-in-class Singaporean stories that are produced in Singapore, by Singaporeans, will be showcased on MediaCorp’s digital streaming platform, mewatch. These will be offered for free to viewers. The public will also be able to access selected titles on free-to-air television channels, Channel 5, Channel 8, Suria, and Vasantham.

Mr Justin Ang, Assistant Chief Executive of Media and Innovation, IMDA, said, "Our filmmakers and producers have been telling compelling stories of the region and Singapore through amazing films over the years. These stories have brought us laughter, tears and also captured what makes us uniquely Singaporean. As we celebrate the Singapore Film Commission's 25th anniversary, we invite all Singaporeans to revisit these beloved films together. Let us all explore, appreciate, and support our film industry, local talent and works for many more years to come."

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