Sharon Au, Nathan Hartono, Benjamin Kheng and Lim Kay Tong headline SGIFF 2025 films
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(Clockwise from top left) Sharon Au in Cendol; Jon Cancio, Estelle Fly, Benjamin Kheng and Nathan Hartono in Sandbox; and Lim Kay Tong in The Old Man And His Car.
PHOTOS: SGIFF 2025
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- The 36th Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) from Nov 26 to Dec 7, 2025, will feature over 110 films from 45 countries.
- SGIFF 2025 will showcase Singaporean stories prominently, including world premieres of Sandbox, At Home With Work and Cendol.
- SGIFF aims to support local talent amid cinema closures, doubling its local short film selection and offering funding and forums.
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SINGAPORE – Veteran and up-and-coming Singaporean actors and film-makers will lead local productions at the 36th Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF), which runs from Nov 26 to Dec 7.
Three of them – comedy Sandbox, documentary At Home With Work and short film Cendol – are making their world premieres.
The 2025 edition will showcase more than 110 films from over 45 countries in a slate that sees Singapore stories taking centre stage, according to a statement from the festival.
It will present more than 30 feature and short films by Singaporean film-makers and co-productions. The festival has doubled its local short film selection compared with 2024, and will showcase 28 works, spread across the Southeast Asian Short Film Competition and Singapore Panorama sections of the programme.
Sandbox features cast members Benjamin Kheng, Nathan Hartono, Estelle Fly, Fauzi Azzhar and Oon Shu An in a comedy about a failing stunt school, in a story that shines a light on the struggles of Singaporeans chasing their dreams in creative spaces. It is directed by Singapore-based writer and film-maker James Thoo.
The Old Man And His Car stars veteran actors Lim Kay Tong and Richard Low in a drama about a widower who says farewell to his beloved car before migrating to Canada to be with his son. It also stars transgender actress Kristin Tiara.
The feature film debut of Singaporean film-maker Michael Kam has been selected for the Tokyo International Film Festival, where it will get its world premiere on Nov 2.
It will be the opening film of SGIFF’s Singapore Panorama section, dedicated to feature and short films from the Republic that address societal concerns.
Lim Kay Tong in the film The Old Man And His Car.
PHOTO: SGIFF 2025
At Home With Work is a documentary that follows four home-based entrepreneurs as they adapt themselves and their living spaces to suit their businesses and the demands of social media. Singaporean film-makers Adar Ng and Dave Lim have explored urban life in works like the pandemic documentary The Spaces Between Us (2021) and the moving image exhibition On/Off/Screen 2021.
The documentary At Home With Work follows entrepreneurs dealing with social media and other tasks as they strive to make their home-based businesses a success.
PHOTO: SGIFF 2025
The dance documentary, 10s Across The Borders, puts a focus on three South-east Asian personalities – Xyza from the Philippines, Sun from Thailand and Teddy from Malaysia – as they hone their craft in the underground ballroom scene while also confronting homophobia, transphobia and racism.
It is the debut feature of Singapore-based film-maker Chan Sze-Wei, and it premiered at Busan International Film Festival in September.
The short film Cendol is the directorial debut of veteran Singapore-based Chinese actor Qi Yuwu, star of Mediacorp series such as The Little Nyonya (2008 to 2009) and The Dream Makers (2013).
Sharon Au in the short film Cendol.
PHOTO: SGIFF 2025
It stars Paris-based local actress-host Sharon Au in a story about an award-winning interior designer who chases her dreams abroad. On returning to Singapore to see her mother, she has to come to terms with the changes in the city and within herself.
Coda is a documentary that follows the 42 amateur singers of the Victoria Chorale, led by conductor Nelson Kwei since its founding in 1988. As they prepare for a competition in Tokyo after an 18-year hiatus, the group has to meet the challenge of intense practice, leading to stress and questions about the nature of competitions. It is directed by Singapore-based film-maker Jac Min.
The documentary Coda follows the Victoria Chorale preparing for a competition.
PHOTO: SGIFF 2025
SGIFF 2025 will unveil its full programme line-up, as well as ticketing information, from Oct 24.
The festival is part of Singapore Media Festival 2025, which is hosted by the Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore.
In a press statement, SGIFF general manager Jeremy Chua acknowledged the difficult environment for local cinema with the closures of indie cinema The Projector and the Cathay Cineplexes chain.
He said: “This year’s world premieres, alongside the doubling of our local short film selection, reflect how deeply we believe in investing in home-grown talent.
“With initiatives like the SGIFF Film Fund, which provides tangible support for the development and production of new works, and more forums for public discussions, we hope to create more avenues for film-makers to share their work and for audiences to take pride in the diversity of Singapore’s voices.
“In recent years, where exhibition spaces are contracting, it is all the more important that we protect and grow the platforms that sustain our film culture.”
