SGIFF 2025: An Interview with Girl 女孩 director Shu Qi, and stars Bai Xiao-Ying and 9m88

When Girl opened the 2025 Singapore International Film Festival at Marina Bay Sands, the theatre was filled to its edges, with filmmakers, industry regulars, influencers, and longtime fans gathered to witness one of Asia’s most beloved stars step into a bold new role. For Shu Qi, who has spent decades defining onscreen charisma, the packed house represented both the reputation she’d built up over the … Continue reading SGIFF 2025: An Interview with Girl 女孩 director Shu Qi, and stars Bai Xiao-Ying and 9m88

★★★★☆ Film Review: Girl 女孩 dir. Shu Qi

Shu Qi’s directorial debut is deeply personal, and teases out the pain and potential of girlhood in ’80s Taiwan. Adolescence is rarely tidy. It’s unruly, bewildering, and often defined by the kind of pain we only learn how to name years later. In Girl, her semi-autobiographical directorial debut, Taiwanese star Shu Qi turns that ache into cinema. Known primarily for her collaborations with Hou Hsiao-hsien … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Film Review: Girl 女孩 dir. Shu Qi

Visual Art: ART SG and S.E.A. Focus Announce Leading Galleries, New Curatorial and Programme Offerings for 2026 Edition

When ART SG opens its doors at Marina Bay Sands in January 2026, the fair will look and feel different from every edition before it. Now in its fourth year, Southeast Asia’s largest international art fair is transforming into a wider cultural ecosystem, one that reflects how rapidly the region’s artistic landscape is developing. Spearheaded by Founding and Lead Partner UBS, ART SG 2026 brings … Continue reading Visual Art: ART SG and S.E.A. Focus Announce Leading Galleries, New Curatorial and Programme Offerings for 2026 Edition

★★★★☆ Theatre Review: The Divorce Party! by Dream Academy

Frenetic, chaotically delightful spin on a wedding dinner anchored by Sebastian Tan’s larger-than-life performance. Divorces are often treated as tragedies, spoken about in hushed tones rather than celebrated. But why shouldn’t the end of a relationship also mark a fresh start—two people mutually deciding they’re ready to embrace singlehood again? Dream Academy seems to think it is worth celebrating, and their new theatrical dining experience, … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Theatre Review: The Divorce Party! by Dream Academy

da:ns focus: An Interview with Nederlands Dans Theater artistic director Emily Molnar on rigour, collaboration and the joy of platforming new voices

Ten years on from their last tour here, Nederlands Dans Theater 2 (NDT 2) returns to the Esplanade this season with a trio of works that Artistic Director Emily Molnar describes as “a programme that truly shows where we’re at.” For Molnar, bringing NDT 2 back to Singapore is “an absolute pleasure,” and the triple bill, featuring works by Alexander Ekman, Botis Seva, and Marcos … Continue reading da:ns focus: An Interview with Nederlands Dans Theater artistic director Emily Molnar on rigour, collaboration and the joy of platforming new voices

Seven arts practitioners honoured with Cultural Medallion and Young Artist Award as Singapore celebrates the role of the arts in the nation’s journey

Seven artists were conferred the Cultural Medallion and Young Artist Award at the Istana yesterday, in recognition of their exemplary contributions to Singapore’s arts sector. The nation’s 60th year of independence provides a fitting backdrop to honour the growth of the arts in our nation-building journey. Cultural Medallion recipients Goh Boon Teck (theatre) and Nai Swee Leng (visual arts) embody the visionary leadership that has fundamentally shaped Singapore’s artistic landscape and cultural identity, while Young Artist Award recipients He … Continue reading Seven arts practitioners honoured with Cultural Medallion and Young Artist Award as Singapore celebrates the role of the arts in the nation’s journey

Film: An Interview with SGIFF General Manager Jeremy Chua and Programme Director Thong Kay Wee on the power and future of film

In a cultural landscape obsessed with certainties, guarantees, and KPIs, the Singapore International Film Festival is, in many ways, an act of defiance. Not loud, not rebellious, but simply the act of being utterly committed to the art of cinema and its continuity. As the festival prepares for its 36th edition, running for two weeks from 26th November to 7th December, the people behind it … Continue reading Film: An Interview with SGIFF General Manager Jeremy Chua and Programme Director Thong Kay Wee on the power and future of film

Preview: Jesus Christ Superstar by Base Entertainment Asia

After captivating audiences across London, North America, the UK and Australia, the Olivier Award-winning reimagining of Jesus Christ Superstar is finally set to make its Singapore bow. The iconic rock opera, born from the creative alchemy of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, will storm the stage at Sands Theatre, Marina Bay Sands from August 2026, marking the next milestone in its remarkable global journey. … Continue reading Preview: Jesus Christ Superstar by Base Entertainment Asia

Concert Review: ECOncert 《声态不息》 by Ding Yi Music Company

A collaborative, multi-genre invitation to forest bathe in the Esplanade Recital Studio, and co-exist with nature all around us. Now in its third edition, Ding Yi Music Company’s ECOncert has come to embrace an identity unmistakably its own, one rooted in environmental consciousness, an attentiveness to the natural textures of sound, and a desire to re-enchant the everyday landscapes around us. This year, the team … Continue reading Concert Review: ECOncert 《声态不息》 by Ding Yi Music Company

Kalaa Utsavam 2025: An Interview with directors Subramanian Ganesh and Karthikeyan Somasundaram on Agam Theatre Lab’s original work ‘Mission Malligapoo’

In 1942, Singapore was under the shadow of the Japanese Occupation. Amid fear, scarcity, and uncertainty, ordinary people performed extraordinary acts of courage. Now, Agam Theatre brings those untold stories to life in Mission Malligapoo, a riotous dark comedy that celebrates resilience, multiculturalism, and love in all its forms. Presented as part of the Esplanade’s Kalaa Utsavam – Indian Festival of Arts, and directed by … Continue reading Kalaa Utsavam 2025: An Interview with directors Subramanian Ganesh and Karthikeyan Somasundaram on Agam Theatre Lab’s original work ‘Mission Malligapoo’