After winning two major prizes at Annecy and earning a place in the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival, Singapore’s The Violinist is finally coming home. The animated feature will celebrate its Singapore Gala Premiere at The Capitol Theatre on 3 September, before opening in Golden Village cinemas nationwide on 17 September 2026.

For a film that has already travelled from Singapore to some of the world’s biggest animation and film stages, its homecoming is set to be a particularly meaningful one.

Directed by Singaporean filmmaker Ervin Han and Spanish animation veteran Raúl García, The Violinist is a Singapore-Spain-Italy co-production that brings together talent from across the three countries. The Singapore premiere will gather its local and international cast and creative team, including voice actors Ayden Sng, Tan Kheng Hua and Fang Rong, Japanese voice actor Kazuya Tanabe, award-winning composer Ricky Ho and Singaporean violinist Joy Yong.

The Violinist made history earlier this year when it became the first Singapore-led animated feature to win the Cristal for a Feature Film at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, widely regarded as the world’s leading festival for animation.

The film also received the SACEM Award for Best Original Soundtrack in a Feature Film, recognising its evocative score and the central role music plays in its storytelling. Its international journey isn’t stopping there. Following its Annecy triumph, The Violinist was selected for the Centrepiece programme at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival, giving the film another major international platform before its Singapore release.

Set across Singapore and Malaya during the early 20th century and the Japanese Occupation, The Violinist follows two childhood friends whose lives are transformed by war, separation and the passage of time.

At its centre is music, the thread that connects the characters across different stages of their lives. Rather than functioning simply as background accompaniment, the film’s score is woven into its narrative. Singaporean composer Ricky Ho, who is a Golden Horse Award winner, created the original score alongside Spanish composer Isabel Latorre, with lead violin performances by Joy Yong.

Together, their work gives the film an emotional language through which it explores memory, identity, love and resilience. For Singaporean audiences, that connection to place and history may be what makes the film’s cinema release particularly special.

“Bringing The Violinist home to Singapore is particularly meaningful for all of us. While the film has had the privilege of travelling internationally, this is ultimately a story inspired by the people, memories and history of this region. We hope audiences will not only be moved by its story, but also see reflections of our collective past, the resilience of those who came before us, and the enduring power of music to connect generations,” says Ervin Han, Co-Director and Co-Writer.

For Han, The Violinist is also the culmination of more than a decade spent developing stories for international audiences. Han is the co-founder of Singapore animation studio Robot Playground Media, which he established with Bernard Toh in 2013. The studio has worked across film, television and digital content, building international production partnerships across Asia and Europe.

The Violinist represents its most ambitious project to date, and Han’s feature directorial debut. The film’s production reflects that global outlook, with creative teams spanning Singapore, Spain, Italy and other countries. Yet its story remains grounded in the history and experiences of this region, and it is that combination which has allowed The Violinist to travel so far.

The film’s international recognition comes at a significant moment for Singapore animation, but the team behind it is looking beyond awards.

Ng Cher Pong, Chief Executive of Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), said, “At this year’s National Day Rally, the Prime Minister spoke about facing challenges with courage and grit. Ervin has shown us what this means, pressing on through COVID and shifting production plans to co-direct The Violinist. With its double win at Annecy and selection for the Toronto International Film Festival, the film has shown that Singapore stories rooted in our own history and culture can stand confidently on the world stage. IMDA is proud to have supported Ervin and his team throughout their journey, and we will continue to champion their global ambitions.”

For audiences, however, the next milestone is a much simpler one: seeing the film on the big screen at home. After making its mark in Annecy and Toronto, The Violinist is ready for its most personal premiere yet: the one in Singapore.

The Violinist’s Singapore Gala Premiere takes place at The Capitol Theatre on Thursday, 3 September 2026, with the film opening at Golden Village cinemas across Singapore on Thursday, 17 September 2026.