The Singapore International Film Festival will be offering four Southeast Asian Short Film Grants in 2021, an increase of two from previous years. Applications for their Film Fund will be open from December 1, 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 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.
For the first time next year, the grant will extend its support to include post-production projects and will now support two production projects with a cash amount of SGD 30,000 and two post-production projects with a cash amount of SGD 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.
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 SGD 4,000 and post-production support worth SGD 4,000. The grant is open to all genres including drama, animation, and experimental short films.
The grants have produced 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, the Amnesty International Award at the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival (Aswang) and been selected for the Busan International Film Festival.
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 SEA-SHORTS: Binh, Judy Free and Nursery Rhymes. The screenings will be held together with panel discussion that explore Southeast Asian Identities through Documentary.
Founded in 1987, the Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) is the largest and longest-running film event in Singapore. The SGIFF is organised by the Singapore International Film Festival Ltd, a non-profit organisation.