24th Singapore International Film Festival slated on 15-25 September

It’s time to raise the curtains once again for Singapore’s most renowned and longest-running cinema event, the 24th Singapore International Film Festival (SIFF). Held from 15 to 25 September 2011, the festival will showcase a myriad of exceptional cinema, including feature films, documentaries, short films and animations, some of which will be debuting in Asia for the first time.

This year’s festival will open with Red Light Revolution – a comedy revolving around a jobless taxi driver who sets up an unusual shop in Beijing. Directed by Sam Voutas, the film offers a witty take on sexual liberation in modern China. Critically acclaimed documentary Senna, which chronicles the life and works of racing legend Aryton Senna, will close SIFF with a big bang at  Shaw Lido on 25 September.

Geoffrey Malone, Chairman and Founder of SIFF, relishes the festival’s role in championing local film aficionados to “watch different”. He says, “After 23 years, it only seemed right that the 24th edition of SIFF takes on a more impactful meaning to the local film industry. We rejuvenated SIFF by injecting it with fresh perspectives and insights, and introduced new programming that spans a wide range of genres. We are very excited at the increase in this year’s line-up, comprising 144 feature films, compared to 87 films last year, and want to challenge filmgoers to start exploring films they would not normally consider; hence for them to ‘watch different’.”

The 24th SIFF comprises of 16 segments, namely:

1. Singapore Panorama – One of the most anticipated sections of the festival, it was first introduced in 2008 to feature some of the best works by local film makers.

2. C’est la Vie – This selection of dramatic films explores the real and raw challenges that life poses, as well as the strong human spirit who ultimately rises and triumphs them all.

3. The Best Medicine – Beat the blues with these comedies which promise to leave audiences clutching their sides in hysterical laughter.

4. Wham! Bam! Pow! – Audiences can look forward to a sensory treat of adrenaline rush and heart-pumping action of gun-slinging and explosions with these action flicks.

5. Reality Bites – Nothing speaks to the heart more than the moving tales of fact, history and culture, told through the eyes of others across the world.

6. Midnight Madness – A common and popular genre of movies, these horror films will explore the supernatural and unknown, bringing terror to a whole new level.

7. Down The Rabbit Hole – Experimental and surreal, these films will take audiences to the new frontiers of cinema, from a journey through the mind of a dead drug addict, to a bloodthirsty rubber tyre on a killing spree.

8. Animation – Curated by Michael Lim, this captivating segment will showcase how animation has developed into a mature cinematic experience, catering to both the young and young at heart.

9. Seeing Music, Hearing Film – As a long-running tradition of SIFF, Seeing Music, Hearing Film connects music and film as it goes behind the scenes with indie singer Feist, and American rock band Kings of Leon.

10. Australian Film Focus – Watch a cross-section of films from Australia, ranging from stories of an aspiring rock star saving his father’s elderly marching band, to a romantic comedy of superheroes falling in love.

11. International Shorts – Audiences can expect an exchange of cultures with this wide array of short original works and quality cinematic material from around the world.

Special Segments

12. Muppets, Music & Magic: Jim Henson’s Legacy – In conjunction with Jim Henson’s

75th birthday, SIFF will see the Asian premiere of rare and exclusive Muppets footage. Aurthur Novell, his long-time publicist, will also be gracing the highly-anticipated film festival.

13. Indie Goes 3D – Eye-catching and visually stunning films are showcased in this segment of 3D films which has gained a rise in popularity with cinema-goers of late.

14. Everyone’s Gotta Start Somewhere – Featuring the directional debuts of established and well-known directors, this segment boasts several international names, including Darren Aronofsky, Yasmin Ahmad, Boo Jun Feng and Liao Jiekai.

15. Beyond Twillight: From Nosferatu to Pontianak – Vampires and the walking dead have taken the world by storm, from ancient lore to contemporary bloodsucking gore. Shortlisted by Melanie Oliveiro, these films will definitely fascinate and shock many.

16. Bertrand Tavernier Retrospective – Presenting some of Tavernier’s best and earliest works at The Arts House for the first time ever in Singapore, this collection of five films, including his latest, examines romance, family as well as social issues in France.

Another highly anticipated component of SIFF is the inaugural Animation Symposium, “Beyond Limits: Expanding the Digital Horizon” to be held on 24 September 2011. Key industry players from leading animation companies that include LucasFilm, Blackmagic Design, Double Negative Visual Effects, One Animation and Infinite Frameworks will engage in a discussion about the trends of adapting to increasing audience sophistication and demands in animation, as well as the impact of technology on creative choices.

Aspiring filmmakers can also look forward to various workshops and talks that will be held throughout the duration of SIFF and comprise the following topics:

• Props-making

• Visual Effects

• Make-up

• Camerawork

• Story Concepts

• Storyboarding

• Screenwriting

• Animation

In addition, 13 Little Pictures will be holding an intense hands-on film making workshop, from 19 to 23 September 2011, where participants will complete a short film in five days, which will be screened at SIFF.

Lastly, and always a staple programme highlight, The Silver Screen Awards will be held on 23 September 2011 at Shaw Lido and will pay homage to Asian film making in two categories, mainly the Asian Feature Film Competition and Singapore Short Film Competition.