The 30th Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) opened with a bang last night, November 21, featuring the highly anticipated Singapore drama Wet Season.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Heng Swee Keat graced the occasion as Guest of Honour.
Bringing Wet Season to the opening ceremony at Capitol Theatre were award-winning Singapore filmmaker Anthony Chen, versatile actress Yeo Yann Yann, veteran theatre virtuoso Yang Shi Bin, and rising star Koh Jia Ler, who took to the red carpet.
They were joined by local celebrities Andie Chen, Benjamin Kheng, Constance Lau, Felicia Chin, Kate Pang, Chen Tian Wen and Joanna Dong.
At the opening, Yeo Yann Yann also received the ‘Inspiring Woman in Film Award’. It was presented by Swarovski for her eminent career across the mediums of film, television and theatre.
Set during the monsoon season amid storm clouds, uncertainties and the warm promise of spring, Wet Season contrasts the desires of a woman with that of an adolescent in this stunning bittersweet dual-character study.
The scenes sing and rhyme against the diegetic soundscape, where viewers bear witness to the raw and fluttering friendship between a secondary school teacher and her student. The film is Anthony Chen’s sophomore directorial feature, a follow-up to his Camera d’Or winning Ilo Ilo (2013).
The film will represent Singapore at the 56th Golden Horse Awards on 23 November with six nominations including Best Director, Best Narrative Feature, and Best Original Screenplay. Yeo Yann Yann is also nominated for Best Leading Actress while fellow actors Koh Jia Ler and Yang Shi Bin will be competing in the Best Supporting Actor category.
A paragon of Singapore’s arts and cultural scene, the 30th SGIFF will run from November 21 to December 1. To be hosted across multiple festival venues, SGIFF is an event of the Singapore Media Festival (SMF), hosted by the Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA).