Your Guide to the 36th Singapore International Film Festival: Must-See Films and Highlights

With over 110 films featured at the 36th Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF), it can be daunting to know where to start. From political dramas and socially conscious documentaries to heartwarming local stories and bold international cinema, here’s a curated list to help you navigate the festival.

Epic Histories & Political Resistance

This City Is A Battlefield (Perang Kota) – Special Presentation
Directed by Mouly Surya, this 2025 Indonesian war drama adapts Mochtar Lubis’ 1952 novel A Road with No End. Set in 1946 Jakarta, the city is still under Dutch control following Indonesia’s declaration of independence. The story follows Isa, a former fighter turned violinist and teacher, who becomes entangled in an assassination plot alongside his friend Hazil, complicated further when Hazil begins an affair with Isa’s wife, Fatimah. A gripping blend of political thriller and romantic drama, the film illuminates personal and national struggles during the Indonesian War of Independence.

Deepa Mehta’s Elements Trilogy
Celebrated filmmaker Deepa Mehta, recipient of SGIFF’s Cinema Honorary Award, is honoured with screenings of her iconic Elements Trilogy: Fire (1996), Earth (1998), and Water (2005). These films confront social issues in India: identity, politics, and the human spirit, with evocative storytelling and powerful performances, remaining profoundly relevant today.

Bold Conversations & New Realities

At Home with Work
Directed by Adar Ng and Dave Lim, this documentary explores how home-based business owners in Singapore blur the lines between home and work. Following a permaculture farmer, a somatics practitioner, a mom-influencer, and a meal-prep entrepreneur, the film reveals the personal and professional challenges of turning domestic spaces into workplaces.

The Old Man and His Car
Singaporean director Michael Kam makes his debut with this touching drama about a widower reluctant to part with his vintage Mercedes while preparing to emigrate. Featuring Lim Kay Tong, the film examines themes of aging, attachment, and change, with a heartfelt narrative that resonates universally.

Memory of Princess Mumbi
A Swiss-Kenyan sci-fi romance mockumentary directed by Damien Hauser, this inventive film debates the ethics of AI in filmmaking while using AI to create futuristic African backdrops on a low budget.

Writing Life – Annie Ernaux Through the Eyes of High School Students
Directed by Claire Simon, this documentary presents Nobel laureate Annie Ernaux through the perspectives of French high school students. Exploring themes of class, identity, and autobiography, the film highlights how Ernaux’s work resonates across generations.

Love, Justice & the Fight for What Matters

Dream of the Red Chamber – love story (1977)
Restored by the Asian Film Archive, this adaptation of a classic Chinese novel by Chiu Kang-chien transposes the story to 1970s Singapore and Taiwan, exploring timeless themes of love, family, and societal constraints.

Arco – Selling Out Fast!
A family-friendly French animated sci-fi, Arco follows a boy who time travels from a utopian future to 2075, where he befriends a local girl, Iris. Together, they navigate environmental and societal challenges while trying to return him home.

She’s Got No Name
Directed by Peter Chan, this Chinese crime drama stars Zhang Ziyi in a gripping story inspired by a real-life 1940s Shanghai murder case. The film explores themes of justice, gender, and survival through the lens of a working-class woman accused of a heinous crime.

Coda
Directed by Singapore-based filmmaker Jac Min, this intimate documentary follows the Victoria Chorale alumni choir as they reunite under conductor Nelson Kwei to prepare for an international competition, marking their first reunion in nearly two decades.