Standpoint
In Standpoint, the personal and the sociopolitical are intertwined in profoundly compelling ways. The nine films in this section plunge headfirst into today’s most hotly debated issues alongside stories of deeply personal struggles, fearlessly confronting these topics through uncompromising lens.
Emotionally potent and stylistically diverse, these films are bound to ignite lively post-show discussions and inspire new perspectives.
Opening Film
Rashid, the Boy from Sinjar
A teenager rebuilds his life in post-genocide Sinjar, searching for identity and healing, carrying hope through the trauma of imprisonment.
Jasna Krajinovic / Belgium, France / 2025 / 80 min / PG (Some Violence) / Asian Premiere
Feature Films
It Was Just An Accident
A man believes he has found his torturer, setting off a journey that explores the fragility of memory and the cost of justice.
Jafar Panahi / Iran, France, Luxembourg / 2025 / 103 min / PG13 (Some Violence) / Singapore Premiere
Life After
A disabled documentary filmmaker maps the intersection of morality, finance and politics in the rise of assisted dying policies.
Reid Davenport / US / 2025 / 99 min / NC16 (Mature Content) / Asian Premiere
Lost Land
Two siblings must traverse perilous waters to leave their Rohingya camp in Bangladesh and reunite with their family in Malaysia.
Akio Fujimoto / Japan, France, Malaysia, Germany / 2025 / 99 min / PG (Some Violence) / Singapore Premiere
Nuestra Tierra (Landmarks)
The nine-year battle to bring to trial the murderers of an Indigenous leader in Argentina exposes the colonial legacy that enabled them.
Lucrecia Martel / Argentina, US, Mexico, France, Netherlands, Denmark / 2025 / 119 min / NC16 (Some Coarse Language) / Singapore Premiere
Queer as Punk
Openly queer punk-rock band Shh… Diam! turns up their music against rising conservatism and political upheaval in Malaysia.
Chen Yihwen / Malaysia, Indonesia / 2025 / 88 min / Rating To Be Advised / Singapore Premiere
Waking Hours
This nocturnal, immersive film offers glimpses of the daily routines of a group of migrant smugglers living on the Balkan border.
Federico Cammarata, Filippo Foscarini / Italy / 2025 / 78 min / PG13 (Some Coarse Language) / Asian Premiere
When Lightning Flashes Over the Sea
An ethereal portrait of Odesa and its travellers, cats, labourers, artists and children who go on dreaming and surviving amidst war.
Eva Neymann / Ukraine, Germany / 2025 / 124 min / PG13 (Some Mature Content) / Asian Premiere
Writing Life – Annie Ernaux Through The Eyes of High School Students
The classrooms of a new generation transform into vibrant forums inspired by Annie Ernaux’s powerful writing and open dialogue.
Claire Simon / France / 2025 / 90 min / NC16 (Sexual References) / Singapore Premiere