November 30, 2020
Call for entries - Singapore International Film Festival Film Fund increases the number of film grants for 2021
The Singapore International Film Festival will be offering four Southeast Asian Short Film Grants in 2021, an increase of two from previous years.
The Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) has announced that applications for their Film Fund will be open from 1 Dec 2020 onwards.
The Tan Ean Kiam Foundation - SGIFF Southeast Asian Documentary Grant (SEA-DOC) and the SGIFF Southeast Asian - Short Film Grant were both introduced in 2018 to support the development of inspiring and thought-provoking films within the region. The grants have been successful, producing projects that have received recognition at established film festivals all around the world: winning the Fédération Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique (FIPRESCI) at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam and the Amnesty International Award at the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival (Aswang) and been selected for the Busan International Film Festival (Binh).
This year’s festival will also see the world premiere of three of SEA-DOC Grant recipients: Aswang, Citizen Hustler and Ploy, and three screenings of our SEA-SHORTS: Binh, Judy Free and Nursery Rhymes, with tickets for the latter two already sold-out. The screenings will be held together with panel discussion that explore Southeast Asian Identities through Documentary.
“The SEA-DOC grant has helped us tremendously in allowing us to complete the project Worship in the way that the director has originally envisioned. In documentary filmmaking, where resources in this region are very limited despite the steadily growing scene and with a lot of fascinating stories to tell, the grant plays a significant role in supporting new generations of filmmakers,” said Uruphong Raksasad, director of Worship.
SEA-DOC Grant
The Tan Ean Kiam Foundation - SGIFF Southeast Asian Documentary Grant (SEA-DOC) grant is awarded to four mid-length or feature projects annually, and champions important and compelling stories told through the art of documentary filmmaking in the region. The grant has been made possible by the support of the Tan Ean Kiam Foundation since 2018.
For the first time next year, the grant will extend its support to include post-production projects. The grant will now support two production projects with a cash amount of S$30,000 and two post-production projects with a cash amount of S$20,000 per recipient.
“We believe documentary film is a powerful tool that helps us confront complex, and oftentimes, troubling realities within our lives and the world around us. These timeless stories play a crucial bridge between rethinking our past and reimagining our future,” said Tan Keng Leck, Vice Chairman of the Tan Ean Kiam Foundation.
SEA-SHORTS Grant
Supported by C47 Investment and White Light Post, the SGIFF Southeast Asian-Short Film Grant (SEA-SHORTS) aims to fund the brightest upcoming names in filmmaking.
In the upcoming year, SGIFF will be awarding four SEA-SHORTS grants, double the number that was previously offered. Each recipient will receive a cash amount of S$4,000 and post-production support worth S$4,000. The grant is open to all genres including drama, animation, and experimental short films.
Application Details
Interested parties may submit their applications from Tuesday, 1st of December 2020. Application and submission guidelines are available at https://filmacademy.sgiff.com/sgiff-film-fund/. For more information about the Singapore International Film Festival, please visit https://www.sgiff.com/. Follow us on Facebook @sginternationalfilmfestival and on Instagram @SGIFFest
Founded in 1987, the Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) is the largest and longest-running film event in Singapore. It has become an iconic event in the local arts calendar that is widely attended by international film critics; and known for its dynamic programming and focus on ground-breaking Asian cinema for Singapore and the region. Committed to nurturing and championing local and regional talent, its competition component, the Silver Screen Awards, brings together emerging filmmakers from Asia and Southeast Asia while paying tribute to acclaimed cinema legends.
With its mentorship programmes, masterclasses and dialogues with attending filmmakers, the Festival also serves as a catalyst for igniting public interest, artistic dialogue, and culture exchanges in the art of filming. The SGIFF is organized by the Singapore International Film Festival Ltd, a non-profit organization with Institution of a Public Character (IPC) status.
For more information, please visit https://www.sgiff.com. Follow us on Instagram @SGIFFest and on Facebook @sginternationalfilmfestival.
The Tan Ean Kiam Foundation was set up by Singapore pioneer, Tan Ean Kiam. For the last 64 years, it has dedicated its mission to the nurturing of local art and culture, and giving the gift of education, particularly for those in-need. By giving to the SEA-DOC Grant, the Foundation hopes to encourage and support more local and SEA documentary filmmakers, especially those who are capturing and sharing the unique stories of Singapore and its region.
C47 InvestmentC47 Investment is a content investment company based in Singapore and South Korea. Established in 2017, C47 Investment has invested in the development and production of over a dozen Korean-language TV and Film projects. In 2020, C47 Investment began investing in content outside Korea, starting with an Indonesian feature film scheduled for release in late 2020.
C47 Investment also sponsored various creative contests in Korea to discover new talent and is a proud sponsor of the SGIFF Southeast Asian-Short Film Grant. C47 Investment plans to widen its presence as a valuable investment partner to talented creators all across Asia. For more information, please visit c47investment.com.
White Light PostFounded in 2010, White Light Post is Thailand’s first boutique digital film lab. As filmmakers ourselves, we treat every film as if it is our own. Our mission is to tailor post-production solutions for filmmakers across Asia. We believe the alchemy of art, color and science is the secret to amazing post-production.
White Light actively supports filmmakers and sponsors post-production awards at the Hong-Kong Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF), the Southeast Asia Fiction Film Lab (SEAFIC), the Purin Pictures Film Fund, and the Singapore International Film Festival’s SEA-Shorts Grant. White Light has supported films from a wide range of countries, including Thailand, China, Vietnam, Singapore, India, Indonesia and the Philippines, which have screened in leading film festivals like Berlin, Busan, Toronto, Singapore and many more.
White Light’s founders include award-winning DoP, Sayombhu Mukdeeprom (Call Me By Your Name, Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives), and award-winning Editor, Lee Chatametikool (Apprentice, Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, Shutter). For more information, please visit www.whitelightpost.com
Kelly Phua
Marketing Manager, SGIFF
M: +65 8163 3680
E: pressoffice@sgiff.com
Trisha Lim
Senior PR Specialisr
M: +65 9732 5164
E: trisha.lim@finnpartners.com