Singapore International Film Festival

Singapore International Film Festival, Singapore Overview

Singapore International Film Festival is one of the most renowned international film festivals which happens every year around November and December in Singapore. The focus of this film festival is to display internationally acknowledged films and provide them with a global platform. It started in 1987 and has now become the longest-running film festival in Singapore. Running over a period of 11 days, this film festival reaches to around 100,000 people every year. One must attend the Singapore Film Festival if one is a film fanatic and would want to learn more about film making.

This prestigious event not only showcases but also nurtures the well-deserved local talents by providing an opportunity to the budding artists to spread their wings and reach the zenith of success. Organised by the Singapore International Film Festival Ltd., this brilliant event also brings out the competitive spirits among the rising filmmakers by hosting the renowned Silver Screen Awards. The Singapore International Film Festival is everything that a movie fanatic dreams of.

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Singapore International Film Festival 2019 Dates

21 November 2019 to 1 December 2019

Singapore International Film Festival Tickets

Booking
The tickets for the Singapore International Film Festival can be booked through the following channels (for onscreen and offscreen programmes) - 
  • Online Booking - via SISTIC.com.sg. The tickets will be available online until one hour before the screening time.
  • On-site Booking - Bookings can also be done by forty-eight SISTIC authorised agents islandwide. You can locate them online from SISTIC.com.sg/agents. The tickets will be available through authorised agents until one hour before the screening time. Operating hours of authorised agents - 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM, unless stated otherwise.
  • Phone Booking - Tickets for the Singapore International Film Festival can also be booked through the SISTIC Hotline - 6348-5555. The tickets will be available until one hour before the screening time. Booking through SISTIC Hotline is recommended if you wish to purchase more than twelve tickets in one go.
  • Door Sales - Tickets for the Singapore International Film Festival will also be available at the door of the screening venue until one hour before the screening time. At this point, limited tickets are available and can be bought on a first come first serve basis. Hence, advanced booking is recommended to avoid inconvenience.
Individual Ticket Prices
The ticket prices for the Singapore International Film Festival is exclusive of the SISTIC fees.
Onscreen activities - Festival Opening - SGD 25, Special Presentations - SGD 15, All other films - SGD 13
Offscreen activities - In conversations, masterclasses, panel discussions - SGD 5
Ticket Bundles
Onscreen activities - 4 for SGD 40 - Purchase four tickets from any of these places - Focus, Films in Competition, Singapore Panorama, Short Films Programme, Midnight Mayhem, Encore Screenings.
10 for 10% - Purchase any 10 tickets in a single transaction to get a 10% discount on ticket prices of the Singapore International Film Festival. This discount is applicable to all film titles.
20 for 20% - Purchase any 20 or more tickets in a single transaction to avail a 20% discount on the ticket prices of the Singapore International Film Festival. This discount is applicable to all film titles. It is recommended to call SISTIC Hotline 6348-5555 if you wish to purchase this package.
Other concessions - Enjoy SGD 1 off opening or SGD 0.50 off on special presentations and on all other films. This concession is available for local and foreign students, NSFs and to senior citizens (age 55 years and above). To avail, this concession Valid ID proof is required.
Offscreen activities - 3 for SGD 12 Purchase any 3 offscreen tickets to avail a discount of 20% on ticket prices of the Singapore International Film Festival. 
Ticket Collection
  • E-ticket - One may choose to get the tickets for the Singapore International Film Festival through email and then simply present the e-ticket on the digital device to the Front Of House Staff for entry.
  • Physical collection of tickets - One can also collect the Singapore International Film Festival tickets from authorised SISTIC agents thirty minutes prior to the screening time by presenting your confirmation email and a valid ID proof for verification.
Note - Make sure to check film ratings for age restrictions on the website before purchasing the tickets.
All tickets for the Singapore International Film Festival are non-refundable and non-exchangeable. Refunds if any will be made for a cancelled film or for a rescheduled film. This will be done only through the Festival Secretariat.

Highlight of the Festival

One of the best parts about the spectacular Singapore Film Festival is that it screens certain movies which are yet to be released commercially in theatres. Hence, the demand for tickets is huge. However, what really takes the cake is that apart from the action-packed, realistic performances on screen, the Red Carpet of the Singapore International Film Festival is graced by a bunch of renowned actors, cinematographers and writers. In the previous years, the SGIFF has witnessed celebrities like the renowned actor of Life of Pi Irrfan Khan, the remarkable cinematographer Christopher Doyle, the legendary director Shekhar Kapur, and the international sports icon and heartthrob of many, David Beckham.

Singapore International Film Festival
The Red Carpet Event (Source)

Festival Extended

Before the main festival commencement, the Festival Extended promises some great movie screenings, funfilled family activities, photography exhibitions, workshops, interactive sessions with the experts and spellbinding audio-visual experiences. These activities enhance the experience quality at the Singapore International Film Festival and prolong it for the film lovers for maximum entertainment and learning.

For the year 2019, the lineup is as follows - 
  • Moonlight Cinema - 25 October 2019 (Friday) to 27 October 2019 (Sunday).
  • Nature’s Playground - 25 October 2019 (Friday) to 1 December 2019 (Sunday).
  • Naiise Iconic and SGIFF -
    Exhibition and Short Film Screenings - 2 November 2019 (Saturday) to 17 November 2019 (Sunday).
    Creative Session - 16 November 2019 (Saturday).
  • Today at Apple with animator Jerrold Chong - Dates yet to be announced.
  • Singapore Media Festival Village - 22 November 2019 (Friday) to 24 November 2019 (Sunday).

Offscreen and Onscreen Activities

Offscreen Activities
The Singapore International Film Festival is a stage for idea exchange and talk series from professionals, actors, filmmakers and masterclasses from global experts. One can also take part in the full immersion programme which is meant for school-going children.

Onscreen Activities
The onscreen activities at the Singapore International Film Festival include - 
  • The grand festival opening
  • The Special presentation is like a red carpet premiere of handpicked films by a jury of professionals and experts who are globally acclaimed.
  • Films in Competition - This year, eighteen short films are selected. For The Asian Feature Competition, nine films have been selected this year.
  • Singapore Panorama includes the independent and short films reflecting Singaporean talent of filmmaking. This event throws light on the issues relating to the contemporary realities of society.
  • Asia vision showcases new ideas and future visions of the cinema world.
  • Cinema Today has stories to tell with the most diverse characters and distinct perspectives.
  • Midnight Mayhem is perfect for those who like binge-watching films at night. It includes movie screenings in the middle of the night that include action, horror, thriller and fantasy.
  • Focus - This part of the Singapore International Film Festival dives into various themes that reflect contemporary cinema.
  • Classics at the Singapore International Film Festival weaves the magic of evergreen cinema. This year the Singapore International Film Festival celebrates a hundred years of Korean Cinema.
  • Filmmakers Present - From this year, the Singapore International Film Festival has introduced this event allowing the budding artists to gather insights from the best in the cinema art industry by interacting with them and by means of showcasing films. The films can showcase the journey from being a film fan to becoming a magnificent movie maker.

Singapore International Film Festival Venue

Singapore Film Festival happens in the International Plaza situated at the Anson Road

You can reach the place by two ways:

Bus: The closest bus stations to International Plaza are Tanjong Pagar (EW 15), Axa Tower, and Shenton Way. You can reach these stations by taking Bus number 10, 167, 57, 655, and 785. 

MRT: The East-West Line is the underground line which leads to International Plaza. 

Singapore International Film Festival
The International Plaza of Singapore (Source)

Volunteering for Singapore International Film Festival

The Singapore International Film Festival not only promotes Asian homegrown talents but also gives an opportunity to the people who are engaged in behind the scene activities to produce a movie. Many budding artists and aspirants volunteer to take part in the other facets of filmmaking which is ancillary to making a film. Thereby, giving them a great opportunity to learn, gain experience, work with different people and understand the way of working of different people and experience the cultural diversity around the globe while production.

Positions available for the Singapore International Film Festival are -
Front of House Officers,
Hospitality Officers,
Event photographers,
Event videographers and Social Media warriors.
For the year 2019, the recruitment will occur from 20 August 2019 (Tuesday) to 31 October 2019 (Thursday). For more details, eligibility and terms and conditions, contact the management at the Singapore International Film Festival.

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