MINDS Film Festival 2025 Returns with Powerful Stories of Inclusion and Resilience

The MINDS Film Festival (MFF) 2025 is back for its eighth edition, shining a spotlight on the lives, challenges, and triumphs of persons with intellectual disability through the power of film. Running from 27 September to 5 October 2025, the festival will feature free public screenings across Singapore, inviting audiences to connect with stories of perseverance and humanity.

Organised by MINDS in partnership with the Singapore Film Society (SFS), this year’s festival presents two poignant films: The Manor from Hong Kong and The Paper Bag Plan from the United States. Together, they offer an intimate and deeply moving exploration of caregiving, identity, independence, and the enduring strength of human connection.

Two Films, One Shared Humanity

• The Paper Bag Plan (2024, USA) – A heartfelt drama about Oscar, a father facing cancer, who realises that his protectiveness may be holding back his son Billy, who has intellectual disability. Determined to prepare Billy for independence, Oscar helps him take on a job as a grocery store bagger, a journey that unfolds into a powerful story of love, trust, and letting go.
• The Manor (2024, Hong Kong) – Inspired by real-life residents at Yixin Villa, this moving drama captures the emotional complexities of life in a residential care facility, offering a rare glimpse into the hopes, challenges, and resilience of individuals with special needs and their caregivers.

Screenings Across the Heartlands

For the first time, MFF will bring its screenings into the community, with venues across the island including Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre, Woodlands Regional Library, Jurong Regional Library, Enabling Village, and One Punggol. The festival will open on 26 September with a by-invite screening at Temasek Shophouse before welcoming the public from 27 September onwards.

Beyond the Screen

More than just film, the festival offers engaging activities designed to spark reflection and dialogue. Audiences can look forward to:

• Pop-up booths by MINDS social enterprises
• Interactive quizzes inspired by the festival’s themes
• Opportunities to connect with the wider community and explore how inclusion can be lived every day

Admission Details

All screenings are free and open to the public. Seats can be reserved online. Doors open 30 minutes prior to each showtime.