Overview
The Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) is Southeast Asia's longest-running film festival. The 37th edition runs October 21 to November 1, 2026, a shift from the festival's traditional late November to early December schedule. SGIFF is the primary competitive platform for Southeast Asian cinema, with the Silver Screen Awards recognizing the best Asian feature films and Southeast Asian short films. The festival is an Academy Awards-qualifying festival for short films: the winner of Best Southeast Asian Short Film becomes eligible for Oscar consideration in the Animated Short Film or Live Action Short Film category without the standard theatrical run. Feature film submissions cost USD 35, with short film submissions free during the early bird period and USD 15 thereafter.
SGIFF is supported by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and serves as a gateway for Southeast Asian filmmakers to connect with international buyers, festival programmers, and distributors. Jeremy Chua was appointed Executive Director in February 2026, bringing a filmmaker's perspective to the festival's strategic direction.
Key Sections
- Asian Feature Film Competition - feature films directed by a filmmaker of Asian nationality or origin, or with at least one Asian country listed as a country of production. Competing for Best Asian Feature Film, Best Director, and Best Performance
- Southeast Asian Short Film Competition - short films directed by a filmmaker of Southeast Asian nationality or origin, or with at least one Southeast Asian country listed as a country of production. Competing for Best Southeast Asian Short Film, Best Director, Best Performance, and Best Singapore Short Film. The Best Southeast Asian Short Film winner qualifies for Academy Awards consideration
- Gala Premieres - high-profile regional and international premieres
- Regional Cinema - a survey of Southeast Asian filmmaking
- Singapore Panorama - new Singaporean films
- Film Market - industry meetings and co-production activity connecting Southeast Asian filmmakers with international buyers and distributors
What Filmmakers Should Know
Submission Details
The Call for Entry for the 37th edition (October 2026) opens April 9, 2026 and closes June 9, 2026 at 11:59 PM GMT+8. All submissions must be completed via the Online Film Submission Form on the SGIFF website. A password-protected online screener or preview link is required and must remain accessible through mid-September 2026.
Entry Fees
Asian Feature Films:
- USD 35 per film, applicable throughout the entire submission period (April 9 to June 9, 2026)
Southeast Asian Short Films:
- Early bird (April 9 to May 9, 2026): Free
- Regular (May 10 to June 9, 2026): USD 15 per film
Entry fees are non-refundable. As a non-profit organization, SGIFF states that fees support the selection process review and the festival's sustainability.
Eligibility Requirements
- Feature film entries must be from Asia
- Short film entries must be from Southeast Asia
- Films must not have premiered earlier than November 1, 2025
- Films must at minimum be a Singapore premiere (not previously broadcast on TV, made available on the internet, or screened publicly in Singapore)
- Priority is given to world, international, and Asian premieres
- Films in any language other than English must have English subtitles
- Deadline extension requests are only granted in rare exceptional cases with valid reasons
Competition Eligibility
For the Asian Feature Film Competition, the director must be of Asian nationality or origin, or at least one Asian country must be listed as a country of production. For the Southeast Asian Short Film Competition, the director must be of Southeast Asian nationality or origin, or at least one Southeast Asian country must be listed as a country of production.
The festival reserves the right to determine which section (competitive or non-competitive) each selected film will participate in.
Oscar Qualifying Status
SGIFF is a qualifying festival for the Short Film Awards of the Academy Awards. The recipient of the Best Southeast Asian Short Film award becomes eligible for consideration in the Animated Short Film or Live Action Short Film category of the Academy Awards without the standard theatrical run, provided the film otherwise complies with Academy rules.
New Festival Dates for 2026
Starting with the 37th edition, SGIFF shifted its festival dates from late November to October 21 to November 1, 2026. This change moves the festival earlier in the fall season, potentially positioning it before other major Asian festivals and markets. The SGIFF Film Fund, which previously supported regional film production, went on temporary hiatus in 2026 as part of a strategic revamp.
Major Awards
Asian Feature Film Competition
- Best Asian Feature Film
- Best Director
- Best Performance
Southeast Asian Short Film Competition
- Best Southeast Asian Short Film (Academy Awards-qualifying)
- Best Director
- Best Performance
- Best Singapore Short Film
Festival History
SGIFF was founded in 1987 and has operated through Singapore's various cultural policy changes, including a period of suspension in the late 1990s and early 2000s before relaunching in 2014. The festival has grown significantly since its relaunch, reflecting both Singapore's investment in the arts and the increasing international profile of Southeast Asian cinema.
The Silver Screen Awards have recognized emerging and established filmmakers from across Asia, with past winners going on to screen at Cannes, Venice, Berlin, and other major festivals. The competitive focus on Southeast Asian short films fills a gap in the regional festival circuit.
The 2026 leadership change, with Jeremy Chua promoted from General Manager to Executive Director, brought a filmmaker's perspective to programming. Chua is a producer whose films have competed in and won Silver Screen Awards.
SGIFF's position in Singapore, Southeast Asia's most internationally connected media hub, gives the festival a unique role as a bridge between regional filmmakers and international buyers.
Past Winners
The 36th edition (2025) Silver Screen Awards recognized the following films:
- Best Asian Feature Film: Always (dir. Chen Deming) - a documentary about a boy discovering poetry in rural China. The film also won the top prize at CPH:DOX and Best Film at Jeonju
- Best Asian Feature Film (Special Mention): A Useful Ghost (dir. Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke) - a Thai supernatural comedy that won the Cannes Critics' Week Grand Prize and became Thailand's Oscar entry
- Best Director: Lalith Rathnayake for Riverstone - a Sri Lankan drama that also won awards at the Shanghai International Film Festival
- Best Performance: Mahendra Perera for Riverstone
- FIPRESCI Award: Human Resource (dir. Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit) - also screened at Venice
- Best Southeast Asian Short Film: Through Your Eyes (dir. Nelson Yeo) - Oscar-qualifying win
- Best Singapore Short Film: Children's Day (dir. Giselle Lin)
- Audience Choice Award: Coda (dir. Jac Min)
Notable Alumni Films and Where They Ended Up
SGIFF has a track record of identifying Southeast Asian and Asian films that achieve international success:
- Ilo Ilo (2013, dir. Anthony Chen) - Chen developed early short films through SGIFF before winning the Camera d'Or at Cannes. The film was distributed by Memento Films internationally and received theatrical releases in multiple territories
- Pop Aye (2017, dir. Kirsten Tan) - won the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award at Sundance and the VPRO Big Screen Award at Rotterdam. Kino Lorber distributed the film in the US
- A Land Imagined (2018, dir. Yeo Siew Hua) - won the Golden Leopard at Locarno. Netflix acquired remaining rights after a French theatrical release through Epicentre
- Wet Season (2019, dir. Anthony Chen) - premiered in the Platform section at TIFF. Strand Releasing acquired North American rights. The film was Singapore's Oscar submission for Best International Feature
- Dreaming & Dying (2023, dir. Nelson Yeo) - won the Golden Leopard and Swatch First Feature Award at Locarno. Yeo previously won Best Singapore Short Film at SGIFF for Here is Not There (2020)
- A Useful Ghost (2025, dir. Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke) - won the Cannes Critics' Week Grand Prize and was Thailand's Oscar entry. Cineverse released the film in US theaters in January 2026
Submission Tips Specific to This Festival
SGIFF programs exclusively Asian feature films and Southeast Asian short films in competition. Filmmakers from outside these regions cannot submit to the competitive sections. The festival gives priority to world, international, and Asian premieres, so plan your circuit strategy accordingly.
Short film submissions are free during the early bird period (April 9 to May 9, 2026). Submit early to avoid the USD 15 regular fee. Feature film submissions cost USD 35 throughout the entire period. The festival requires English subtitles for all non-English films.
The 2026 date shift to October 21 to November 1 positions SGIFF after Busan (October 6 to 15) and parallel with Tokyo (October 27 to November 5). This timing creates opportunities for Asian premiere strategies. Films that premiere at Busan can still target a Singapore premiere at SGIFF.
The Southeast Asian Short Film Competition is the festival's most distinctive competitive offering. Few festivals in the region provide dedicated competitive recognition for short-form work from Southeast Asia. Winning Best Southeast Asian Short Film qualifies the film for Academy Awards consideration, making this section particularly valuable for short filmmakers targeting Oscar eligibility.
Industry Reputation Notes
SGIFF occupies a specific niche in the Asian festival circuit. The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) has a larger industry program and broader Asian scope, but SGIFF's dedicated Southeast Asian Short Film Competition fills a gap that Busan does not address. SGIFF's Oscar-qualifying status for shorts gives it a concrete advantage for short filmmakers seeking Academy recognition.
Compared to the Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF), SGIFF is smaller in scale but more focused on Southeast Asian cinema. TIFF's Crosscut Asia section programs Southeast Asian films, but SGIFF builds its entire competitive identity around the region. The 2026 schedule change brings SGIFF closer to the autumn festival calendar, positioning it as a bridge between Busan and the end-of-year awards circuit.
The festival's Film Market connects Southeast Asian filmmakers with international buyers and distributors. While smaller than Busan's Asian Film Market, SGIFF's market serves a specific function: introducing Southeast Asian content to programmers and buyers who attend specifically to discover regional work. The SGIFF Pro platform, which includes the Asian Producers Network and Industry Days conference, extends the festival's industry function beyond the screening schedule.
Watch
See Also
For production budgeting, use the Production Budget Calculator. For festival submission strategy, see Film Festival Strategy. For understanding the Southeast Asian film market, see International Film Markets.
