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SINGAPORE : One of Southeast Asia's biggest film events, the Singapore International Film Festival, opens in two days.
This year, a record number of Singapore-made films will be showcased.
The Singapore films at this year's Festival are engaging, thought-provoking, bold and more popular than ever.
Jean Chua, Publicity Manager, 21st Singapore International Film Festival, said, "We've put out multiple screenings for some of the films, like the Singapore Shorts Finalists and some of the feature films, and they've sold out repeatedly.
"So it's a really good sign that the audience are interested in local films and the local content."
25 new independent Singapore-made films will premiere at the 21st Singapore Film Festival. Seven are short films in the running for the annual Silver Screen Awards.
Silent Girls - a 20-minute film - is one of them. The film is by Ric Aw, who has had his first film "Buy Me Love" shown in film festivals in Japan, Mexico, France and as far as Romania.
Mr Aw said, "I've always been curious about things that happen around me, especially things that you don't see. Henceforth, the film is called 'Silent Girls' - girls who keep their secrets and stories to themselves. It's actually a story about a testament of love between two young people."
Festival organisers said the screenings for short films have sold out five times and a sixth screening has been added to meet demand.
Singapore filmmakers are not only exploring the local scene, though.
Wahyuni A Hadi, Festival Manager, 21st Singapore International Film Festival, said, "Audiences will be pretty surprised to find that the Singapore films centre not only around Singapore but in other countries also. So we have films that are shot in Beijing, for example.
"For Singapore films, there is no one voice and there's no one type of story, that's the interesting part of the industry right now."
Of the 25 Singapore-made films showcased this year, more than half of them are feature-length films and interestingly there are also more women directors this time around.
"Veil of Dreams" by Zaihirat Banu Codelli documents Iran's women football team and the struggles they face. She tells the story of Islamic women competing against other international players in a game traditionally played by men.
Another documentary, "Diminishing Memories II", is one of a few experimental films on offer. It is a sequel to Eng Yee Peng's first film on the loss of village life in the wake of commercialisation in Singapore - a recollection of her memories living in the sleepy suburban area of Lim Chu Kang.
Ms Eng said, "I realised there was something which I did not let go when I finished making Part One, which was the lost childhood memories that I treasure so much."
Despite the lack of funding, many independent filmmakers are not letting their hopes be dimmed.
Ms Wahyuni said, "They have a story they want to tell, and they will not rest until it's been told, and I think that's an amazing drive they have within them."
It is a drive that could just usher Singapore cinema onto the international stage. - CNA/ms
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