SINGAPORE : The Singapore International Film Festival is asking the Censorship Board to reconsider its decision about the film "Solos".

The board had passed the film, but made three cuts and gave it an R21 rating.

However, the festival, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, has a strict policy of screening films in its entirety.

Censorship aside, the festival has attracted organisers from other international film festivals.

The festival's gala opening was held on Wednesday evening.

The 20-year-old Festival has attracted a loyal following from around the world.

Other film festival organisers from Korea, India and Japan make their way here to watch films by up and coming directors from Asia.

Just last year, three Singapore films were picked to be showcased at the Vladivostok International Film Festival after it was screened at the Singapore International Film Festival.

Yury Goncharov, Film Programme Coordinator, Vladivostok International Film Festival, said, "I came to Singapore to pick some films for our festival and to see how another festival presents its programme, because our own festival back home is only five years old and the one in Singapore is already 20 years old."

But sometimes, not all selected films will be screened.

A big question mark now hangs over "Solos", a Singapore-made film about the relationship between two men.

Festival organisers are appealing for the Censorship Board to allow the film to be screened without cuts.

Jocelyne Saab, Film Critic and Director, said, "All festivals are faced with this problem. That's the case in Thailand as well. A film was censored there but it was screened in Singapore. My film was censored in Cairo but is not censored internationally."

So far only one film has been withdrawn from the festival, and that is "Princess", an animation film from Denmark about the pornography industry.

Its filmmaker and the festival organisers decided to withdraw it after it was passed by the Board of Censors with one cut.

The Film Festival runs till the end of this month. - CNA/ms