SINGAPORE: Singapore's very own Oscars? The Singapore International Film Festival (SIFF) is launching an all-new Singapore Film Awards within its Silver Screen Awards section - and it might very well be the long-awaited recognition the local film industry needs and deserves.

With its 22nd edition taking place from April 14 to 25 next year, the SIFF’s Singapore Film Awards will consider all Singapore feature films made in 2008 and bestow honours in the following five categories: Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Performance and Best Cinematography.

Jasmine Ng, board director of the SIFF said: “By giving recognition to our own films, to our own homegrown talent at the newly-launched Singapore Film Awards, it’ll move us as a community to take stock of where we are at with each year, and chart where we need to go.

“In many small ways, we have been celebrating Singaporean films and Singaporean talent over the years. But it is time to bring it all together, gather everyone around and whoop it up.”

Boi Kwang, director of The Days, the true life story of Singapore street gangs in the late 1980s, was happy with the news.

“I think it’s very good for local film-makers and a real boost for us to keep carrying on to make films. This journey isn’t easy to travel, what with few financial returns. So (having awards like this) is great moral support and makes it so worthwhile to continue.”

For more information, visit www.filmfest.org.sg.

- TODAY/rose