For 12 days this November, cinema lovers will once again gather in darkened halls, to watch films together and feel alive in a shared moment of storytelling. The 36th Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) returns from 26th November to 7th December 2025, and this year’s edition promises something special: a powerful, unapologetic spotlight on local Singaporean voices.

More than 30 local films, including features, shorts, and co-productions, will take centre stage, marking one of SGIFF’s strongest showings of homegrown work to date. It’s a bold statement from a festival that has long served as a cultural heartbeat for the region.

“In a time when cinema feels upended by the weight of pragmatism in Singapore, we are more determined than ever to defend it as an essential cultural offering to be experienced on the big screen. We will continue to present a smorgasbord of films that can elicit a wide range of emotions, broaden our perspectives, and inspire new imaginations of this art form that we love,” says Thong Kay Wee, SGIFF’s Programme Director. “Despite surviving many ‘near-deaths’ in its history, we will continue to demonstrate how cinema has persevered in quality and relevance, especially in today’s extraordinarily difficult times.”

If SGIFF has always been a meeting point for Southeast Asia’s most daring storytellers, this year’s lineup reaffirms its roots in Singapore. From world premieres to rediscovered classics, the 2025 festival is an ode to creativity that persists even in uncertain times.

Among the must-watch titles is Sandbox, starring Benjamin Kheng, Nathan Hartono and Oon Shu An, a heartfelt comedy about a struggling stunt school fighting to stay afloat and a wry reflection of Singapore’s creative hustle. In At Home with Work, a poignant documentary lens captures the quiet resilience of home-based entrepreneurs carving out space in a harsh commercial world.

Actor Qi Yuwu makes his directorial debut with Cendol, starring Sharon Au as a designer returning home to reconcile with her mother, a tender meditation on identity and belonging.

The local showcase continues with Coda, a documentary following alumni choir Victoria Chorale as they reunite under veteran conductor Nelson Kwei after nearly two decades, and 10s Across the Borders, Singaporean filmmaker Chan Sze-Wei’s electrifying deep dive into Southeast Asia’s ballroom scene, a celebration of queer and trans artistry that pulses with life and defiance.

Opening the Singapore Panorama section this year is The Old Man and His Car, featuring stalwarts Lim Kay Tong and Richard Low in a moving portrait of grief and rediscovery. The film has already been selected for a world premiere at the Tokyo International Film Festival, a fitting lead-in to its homecoming at SGIFF.

And for cinephiles craving nostalgia, the festival will screen a rare gem: a restored 1970s Singapore-set adaptation of Dream of the Red Chamber by the late Taiwanese filmmaker Chiu Kang-chien, in collaboration with the Asian Film Archive.

The magic of SGIFF has always gone beyond just what’s on screen, focusing also on the ecosystem that keeps film culture alive. This year’s festival continues to nurture emerging voices through initiatives like the SGIFF Film Fund, which supports both Singaporean and regional filmmakers in turning their stories from script to screen.

Public forums and discussions will also delve into the shifting landscape of independent cinema, audience habits, and the future of storytelling in a post-digital world.  “As much as SGIFF is about celebrating cinema, it is also about ensuring that Singaporean stories continue to be made and seen. This year’s world premieres, alongside the doubling of our local short film selection, reflect how deeply we believe in investing in homegrown talent,” says Jeremy Chua, the festival’s General Manager.

“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 filmmakers 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.”

Promising to showcase over 110 films from 45 countries, SGIFF 2025 reminds us why cinema matters, as art, as resistance, and as reflection. Amid shifting times and shrinking screens, it stands as a rallying cry for creativity that refuses to fade. Look out for the full programme when it releases on 24th October.

For now, whether you’re a film buff, a culture enthusiast, or just looking for that spark of inspiration, SGIFF 2025 invites you to rediscover the joy of collective storytelling, and get excited at the power of seeing Singapore on the big screen.

The 36th SGIFF runs from 26th November to 7th December 2025. Full programme lineup to be revealed soon. More information available via their website here