PUBLISHED October 30th, 2017 06:00 am | UPDATED July 25th, 2024 02:40 pm
November isn’t just about growing out your beard. At least, that’s not the case in Singapore, which will see filmgoers spoilt for choice with a trifecta of local and foreign film festivals. It’s time to get out the popcorn and ready yourself for a rollercoaster of emotions, because you can bet you’re going to be watching plenty of mind-blowing shows this month, from hilarious comedies and fantasy thrillers to heartfelt dramas and inspiring biopics.
German Film Festival
2 – 12 November
Guten tag! It’s been 21 years since the very first German Film Festival, making it Singapore’s biggest and one of the longest-standing foreign film festivals. Expect over 30 films spanning art-house, comedy, documentary, and music to be screened. This edition will also highlight topical current affairs such as increasing global migration and debates on education systems, with films such as Western, which premiered at the recent Cannes Film Festival and explores the tensions faced by a group of Germans working in a foreign land; The Bloom of Yesterday, which sets a romantic comedy against the backdrop of the Holocaust; and comedy Welcome to Germany – exploring the current refugee situation as faced by Europe.
Plus, get up-close and personal with filmmakers Jakob Schmidt (To Be a Teacher), Susanne Regina Meures (Raving Iran), as well as actress Sylvaine Faligant of Club Europe at post-show events.
The screenings for the German Film Festival will take place at Golden Village, The Projector, Singapore Botanic Gardens, and National Museum of Singapore. For more information, please click here.
French Film Festival
9 – 19 November
It’s apparent that Singapore’s love for French films has been growing throughout the years, many thanks to Alliance Française’s regular CINÉ CLUB screenings and support from the likes of The Projector. The 2017 edition of the French Film Festival will see 16 compelling French films with fascinating diversity and artistry, including sci-fi thriller Alone (David Moreau), adapted from a popular French comic book series where five teens wake up to a post-apocalyptic world; the recent hit Back to Burgundy by famed director Cédric Klapisch, about a trio of estranged siblings struggling to rebuild their vineyard home after the death of their father; and Amanda Sthers’ Madame, a refreshing comedy that’s filmed in English starring international talents Toni Collette, Harvey Keitel, and Rossy de Palma.
And taking the role of Festival Ambassador this year is acclaimed local filmmaker Boo Junfeng, who shares his perspectives on French cinema and recommend his top picks of this year’s line-up on the festival website.
The screenings for the French Film Festival will take place at Shaw Theaters Lido, Alliance Française de Singapour and The Projector. For more information, please click here.
Singapore International Film Festival
23 November – 3 December
Back for its 28th edition, the stalwart Singapore International Film Festival will explore the ‘Future of Cinema’ with over 100 film screenings, including 18 groundbreaking world premieres and six Asian premieres. On the line-up are highlights like Dragonfly Eyes by Chinese filmmaker Xu Bing – created from 10,000 hours of surveillance videos, and Palme d’Or winner The Square by Swedish director Ruben Östlund. Look out for SGIFF’s three Special Presentation films, which include Oh Lucy! By Japanese feature filmmaker Atsuko Hirayanagi, which follows a lonely Tokyo woman following her English teacher (Josh Hartnett) to California.
Closer to home, check out Malaysian Tan Seng Kiat’s debut feature, Shuttle Life, which displays hard-hitting social drama with uncompromising realism while examining the life of Malaysia’s underclass. Similarly, Singapore Wesley Leon Aroozoo will present his first full-length documentary I Want to Go Home, while Wee Li Lin (one of Singapore’s pioneer female filmmakers) tells the story of an uptight mother upstaging her own daughter’s unorthodox wedding in Areola Borealis.
The screenings for the Singapore International Film Festival will take place at nine locations around the island, including Marina Bay Sands, The Arts House, Capitol Theatre, and ArtScience Museum. For more information, please click here.