Some films travel the world before finally coming home. For Singapore-led animated feature The Violinist (沧海琴声), that homecoming has already been a remarkable one. Following its Singapore Gala Premiere at Capitol Theatre on 3 September, the award-winning film will open in cinemas nationwide on 17 September 2026, giving audiences the choice of experiencing the story in both English and Mandarin.

Supported by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), the film brings together Singaporean, Southeast Asian and European creative talent in a story shaped by music, memory, friendship and resilience. And after a landmark international festival run, its arrival on Singapore screens feels particularly significant.

Originally produced in English, The Violinist will now also be available in Mandarin, opening the film to audiences across generations and cultures. The Mandarin version features a line-up of Singaporean talent, including award-winning host and actor Guo Liang, who voices Singapore war hero Lim Bo Seng. Ayden Sng and Fang Rong also reprise their respective roles in Mandarin after voicing the same characters in the English-language version.

For Guo Liang, taking on the voice of such a significant historical figure was a role that carried particular weight. “Lim Bo Seng is a name that holds great significance in Singapore’s history, so taking on his voice came with a strong sense of responsibility. I hope the Mandarin version allows more audiences, especially families and younger viewers, to connect with this chapter of our history and with the courage and sacrifices of those who came before us.”

The bilingual release also gives families an opportunity to experience the film together, while allowing younger audiences to encounter a chapter of Singapore’s history through animation, music and storytelling.

The Singapore Gala Premiere on 3 September brought the film’s creative team, voice actors, industry partners and members of the arts and cultural community together at Capitol Theatre. Among those in attendance were voice actors Ayden Sng, Fang Rong, Tan Kheng Hua, Adrian Pang and Japanese actor Kazuya Tanabe, alongside composer Ricky Ho, lead violinist Joy Yong and members of the production and creative teams.

For co-director and co-writer Ervin Han, seeing the film finally screen in Singapore was an especially meaningful moment. “It was incredibly meaningful to finally bring The Violinist home and share it with audiences in Singapore at the Gala Premiere. This is a story that draws deeply from the history, memories and communities of this region, and I’m especially pleased that audiences here will be able to experience it in both English and Mandarin. I hope that gives even more Singaporeans a way to connect with the story, its characters and its music.”

The film’s journey to Singapore has been anything but ordinary. At the Annecy International Animation Film Festival 2026, The Violinist became the first Singapore-led animated feature to receive the Cristal for a Feature Film, the festival’s highest honour. It also received the SACEM Award for Best Original Soundtrack in a Feature Film.

Following those historic wins, the film was selected for the Centrepiece programme at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and will continue its festival journey at the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) in South Korea. For a film rooted in Singapore and Southeast Asian history, its growing international audience is an achievement in itself.

The Violinist‘s emotional themes of friendship, courage, memory and resilience give the story a contemporary resonance, while its historical setting offers audiences another way to engage with Singapore’s past. The result is a film that offers something for both those familiar with the history behind it and audiences encountering the story for the first time.

Ayden Sng, who voices Kai in both English and Mandarin, said: “What drew me to The Violinist was how personal and emotional the story feels despite being set against such a significant period in our history. It is exciting to be part of a Singapore-led animated feature that brings our stories to audiences here at home and around the world.”

Fang Rong, who voices Fei in both versions, added: “Being part of The Violinist gave me the opportunity to experience this story in a different way. I hope having the film available in both English and Mandarin makes it possible for even more Singaporeans to connect with its characters, emotions and history.”

The Violinist is a Singapore-Spain-Italy co-production between Robot Playground Media, TV ON Producciones and Altri Occhi, directed by Ervin Han and Raúl García. For Han, the project also represents the culmination of more than a decade of work developing original stories from Southeast Asia for international audiences.

The Singaporean filmmaker, producer and co-founder of Robot Playground Media has spent the past decade building cross-border creative pipelines between Asia and Europe. His work has received recognition at the International Emmys and Asian Academy Creative Awards, among other regional honours. The Violinist marks his feature directorial debut, and a particularly ambitious one, bringing a Singapore-led story to the international animation stage.

Singapore audiences can catch The Violinist (沧海琴声) in both English and Mandarin from 17 September 2026, with sneak previews at selected cinemas from 11 to 13 September. There will also be a special screening of the Mandarin version on 12 September at 2pm at Sands Theatre, organised by SPH Media’s Chinese Media Group. The film is eligible for SG Culture Pass redemption, allowing eligible Singapore Citizens to use their SG Culture Pass credits towards ticket purchases.

For a Singapore-made animated feature that has already travelled from Annecy to Toronto and beyond, the local cinema release is more than just another stop on the festival circuit. It is a homecoming, and an invitation for Singapore audiences to see a piece of their own history retold through a distinctly cinematic blend of animation, music and memory.

The Violinist film opens at Golden Village cinemas across Singapore on Thursday, 17 September 2026 in both English and Mandarin.