The countdown is on. The 37th Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF), supported by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), is gearing up for one of its most extensive editions yet headlined by cinema’s most beloved storytellers.

The festival will honour acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda with its Cinema Honorary Award, the Festival’s highest accolade recognising filmmakers who have made exceptional and enduring contributions to Asian cinema.

Kore-eda will attend a Special Presentation of Look Back on 24 October, which will also mark the film’s Southeast Asia Premiere ahead of its theatrical release on 29th October. He will also take part in an In Conversation With dialogue session on 24 October, where he will be presented with the Cinema Honorary Award.

Kore-eda is known for his deeply human contemporary dramas exploring the family unit, shedding light on the invisible tensions between the individual and the social systems in which they live. His 2018 film, Shoplifters, won the Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival, marking the first time in more than two decades that a Japanese film was awarded cinema’s most prestigious prize; while other recent films, Broker and Monster, have successfully received both commercial success and critical acclaim, cementing his status as one of Japan’s most important and celebrated filmmakers.

His latest film, Look Back, is the very first live-action feature film adaptation of any manga by acclaimed creator Tatsuki Fujimoto.

Yim Soon-rye to Head Asian Feature Film Competition

Leading Korean New Wave filmmaker Yim Soon-rye will serve as Jury Head of this year’s Asian Feature Film Competition, SGIFF’s platform for bold cinematic voices from across Asia.

Known for films including Three Friends (1996), Waikiki Brothers (2001), Forever the Moment (2008) and Little Forest (2018), Yim will also speak at SGIFF Industry Days on 27 October, sharing insights into her creative process and filmmaking practice.

SGIFF Pro Expands Industry Platform

SGIFF Pro, the festival’s industry and talent development programme, will feature a newly expanded format and programming that focuses on offering inspiring encounters with filmmaking masters, catapulting young talent to a global stage, examining new technological approaches to the creation process, and facilitating deal-making opportunities for media companies with relevant decision makers.

This year’s edition will also see Industry Days expand from three to four days, featuring talks by cinematographer Akiko Ashizawa, who is the laureate of the 2026 Pierre Angénieux Tribute, awarded during the 79th Cannes Film Festival; and acclaimed filmmaker Koji Fukada, whose Singapore co-production Nagi Notes will screen in the SGIFF’s Horizon section.

New programmes at SGIFF Pro include: 

Off Campus: A guided four-day field trip offering students from selected film school programmes direct exposure to the practices, structures and professional realities of the film industry. Running parallel to Industry Days, the modular programme delivers bite-sized encounters between students and industry experts that is designed to complement academic training with practical, experience-led insight from internationally renowned practitioners.

Pitching Forum: This forum aims to connect international projects with international decision makers and local co-production partners, and establish Singapore as a co-production hub in Southeast Asia. Curated business matching provides participants with opportunities to continue conversations, establish professional relationships, and explore areas of mutual interest beyond the programme.

Parallax: A free-to-attend interdisciplinary sidebar exploring the convergences between filmmaking, AI, and immersive technology through demonstrations and critical conversations around ethics, authorship, and tools that elevate human creativity. It will feature a line up of technologists, innovation leaders, and groundbreaking creators from Amazon MGM Studios, SM Entertainment, Adobe, Largo.ai, and Ubac Studio.

Beyond the programme, SGIFF will continue to curate a festival lineup and programmes that will continue to allow audiences to experience the festival in many ways, while creating pathways for local and regional filmmakers to shine on a global stage.

Stay tuned for more exciting updates on line-ups, guests and workshops that will be part of the festival this year.

 

Singapore International Film Festival

Founded in 1987, the Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) is the largest and longest-running film event in Singapore. As an illustrious cornerstone in the local arts calendar, the Festival is known for its dynamic programming and focus on groundbreaking Asian cinema for Singapore and the region.

Beyond its annual Festival programme, SGIFF is also dedicated to nurturing and championing local and regional talent through its industry-led SGIFF Pro platform. SGIFF Pro brings together the festival’s various industry initiatives under one umbrella to meet the evolving and complex demands of the film industry. It comprises five programmes: the SGIFF Industry Days conference, the Asian Producers Network, the Pitching Forum, Off Campus, and Parallax.

The SGIFF is organised by the Singapore International Film Festival Ltd, a non-profit organisation with Institution of a Public Character (IPC) status, and supported by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA).

The 37th edition of SGIFF will return from 21 October to 1 November 2026.