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Flying the Singapore flag high; most number of Made with SG features to be screened at the 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival

SINGAPORE – 15 MAY 2023

Three highly acclaimed Made with SG films will have their world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May. Singaporean director Anthony Chen will debut his latest film, The Breaking Ice in the Un Certain Regard section, while two local producers, Fran Borgia and Jeremy Chua, will also world premiere their new films, Tiger Stripes at Cannes Critics’ Week and Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell at the Directors’ Fortnight respectively.

Tiger Stripes and Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell, which were awarded the Singapore Film Commission (SFC) and Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA)’s Southeast Asia Co-Production Grant under the Media Talent Progression Programme (MTPP), will also be competing in the festival’s Camera d’Or for best debut feature. If successful, one of them will join the rank of Anthony Chen’s Ilo Ilo, the first Singaporean feature film to be awarded the Camera d'Or for Best First Film in 2013.

We are absolutely thrilled that we have the most number of Made with SG films debuting in Cannes this year, especially since 2023 also marks the 25th anniversary of the Singapore Film Commission. The Commission has been instrumental in supporting our budding local directors and film talent in producing well told stories and we are so happy to celebrate this significant milestone. Over the years, Singapore has had more than 25 titles premiering in the major and parallel sections of the Cannes Film Festival, no mean feat for a small city-state! Recognition from established international film festivals is an affirmation of Singapore’s media industry capabilities and the ability of our many wonderful talents to tell our stories to the world.

Mr Justin Ang

Assistant Chief Executive of Media, Innovation, Communications and Marketing, IMDA

Mr Fran Borgia, Singapore-based producer of Tiger Stripes, shared, “We are extremely proud of Tiger Stripes to be selected from over 1,000 submissions as one of the eleven feature films for this year’s Cannes Critics’ Week. Premiering in Cannes is meaningful in many ways, but most importantly it will allow the film and the talent in the region, in particular Singapore, be seen by international audiences and critics.”

Mr Anthony Chen, Singaporean filmmaker, added, “It’s great to screen at Cannes for the fourth time, with a new film. It’s especially meaningful for me as it will be exactly 10 years since ILO ILO won the Camera d’Or at Cannes. Even though this film is shot and set in China, I find it a wonderful opportunity to introduce new Singapore talent to the world. In The Breaking Ice, Singaporean musician Kin Leonn composed all the original music, marking his feature debut.”

This year’s participation will mark nearly 20 years that Made with SG content and Singapore media companies are showcased at the Cannes Film Market, one of the key platforms for Singapore filmmakers and producers to market their films world-wide and explore collaborative partnerships with international media players.

To continue ongoing efforts to nurture Singapore’s media industry, SFC and IMDA have issued the Call-for-Proposals for Films: Long-Form and Short-Form Content Grants under the MTPP. Since 2018, these Content Grants support the production of content that provides quality roles for local media professionals, in order to build up their portfolio and experience. As of 1 May 2023, more than 300 media professionals and 35 projects were supported under the MTPP, of which 11 have been released, while the others are in the development pipeline or in the process of premiering. All released films have performed well, having garnered top accolades at prestigious international film festivals and award platforms, or sold to major streamers such as Netflix and Amazon.

Grants such as the Southeast Asia Co-Production Grant not only help to provide a much-needed source of financial support for emerging filmmakers but also catalyse independent film production within our region. Apart from being familiar with each other's food, culture, music and way of life, we also understand each other in terms of colour, rhythm, emotion, and nature. Hence, we are able to create our own unique cinematographic methods and language. By premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell hopes to showcase this local artisanal, handmade Southeast Asian texture to the world.

Mr Jeremy Chua

Lead Producer of Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell

From now until 17 July 2023, interested individuals and companies can visit https://go.gov.sg/cfp2023 to find out more details on the Call-for-Proposals (CFP).

For a list of Made with SG films that have been selected for the Cannes Film Festival since 1997, please refer to Annex A.

For the list of selected projects supported by the Content Grants under the MTPP, please refer to Annex B.

Annexes

Expand All
Annex A

Made with SG Films Selected for Cannes Film Festival Since 1997

Made-with-Singapore films in Cannes to date: 2 titles for Main Competition, 6 titles for Un Certain Regard, 6 titles for Directors’ Fortnight, 4 titles for Critics’ Week, 5 titles for Cinefondation L’Atelier (in development) and 4 titles in Cinefondation Selection (short films)

Year Made with SG Films
2023
  1. Tiger Stripes – Cannes Critics’ Week, co-produced with Akanga Film Asia
  2. Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell – Directors’ Fortnight, co-produced with Potocol
  3. The Breaking Ice – Un Certain Regard, co-produced by Canopy Pictures, directed by Anthony Chen
2021
  1. Rehana Maryan Noor – Un Certain Regard, produced by Potocol
  2. The Year of the Everlasting Storm – special screening, anthology featuring director Anthony Chen
2019
  1. Piece of Meat (short film) – Directors’ Fortnight, by Huang Junxiang and Jerrold Chong
  2. Adam (short film) – Cinefondation Selection, by Shoki Lin
  3. The Women (feature in development) – Cinefondation L’Atelier, co- produced with Potocol
  4. Talent Chiang Wei Liang accepted into Cinefondation Residence
2018
  1. Whether the Weather is Fine (feature in development) – Cinefondation L’Atelier, co-produced by AAND
2017
  1. Jodilerks Dela Cruz: Employee of the Month (short film) – Cannes Critics’ Week, co-produced with AAND
  2. City of Small Blessings (feature in development) – Cinefondation L’Atelier, produced by Akanga Film Asia, directed by Wong Chen-Hsi
2016
  1. Apprentice – Un Certain Regard, produced by Peanut Pictures, Zhaowei Films and Akanga Film Asia, directed by Boo Junfeng
  2. A Yellow Bird – Cannes Critics’ Week, produced by Akanga Film Asia, directed by K. Rajagopal
2015
  1. Popeye (aka POP AYE, feature in development) – Cinefondation L’Atelier, produced by E&W Films and Fisheye Pictures, directed by Kirsten Tan
2014
  1. A Yellow Bird (feature in development) – Cinefondation L’Atelier, produced by Akanga Film Asia, directed by K. Rajagopal
  2. Oh Lucy! (short film) – Cinefondation Selection, produced by Upside Down Concepts (Singapore) and directed by Atsuko Hirayanagi – won second prize
  3. Last Trip Home (short film) – Cinefondation Selection, directed by Han Fengyu.
2013
  1. Ilo Ilo – Directors’ Fortnight, produced by Fisheye Pictures, directed by Anthony Chen – won Camera d’Or, first for Singapore
  2. After the Winter (short film) – Cinefondation Selection, directed by Jow Zhi Wei
2011
  1. Tatsumi – Un Certain Regard, by Eric Khoo
2010
  1. Sandcastle – Cannes Critics Week, produced by Zhao Wei Films, directed by Boo Junfeng (first for Singapore)
2009
  1. Here – Directors’ Fortnight, produced by Akanga Film Asia, directed by Ho Tzu Nyen
2008
  1. My Magic – Main Competition (first for Singapore), produced by Zhao Wei Films, directed by Eric Khoo
2007
  1. Ah Ma (short film) – Main Competition, directed by Anthony Chen – won Special Mention prize (first for Singapore)
  2. SuperDONG (short film) – Directors’ Fortnight, by Pok Yue Wen
  3. Pleasure Factory – Un Certain Regard, co-produced with Spicy Apple Films, Innoform Media, directed by Ekachai Uekrongtham
2006

Singapore showcased of 12 films at World Cinema (Tous les Cinemas du Monde)

  1. Features: Smell Of Rain (Gloria Chee), One Last Dance (Max Makowski), I Not Stupid Too (Jack Neo) and Perth (Djinn Ong)
  2. Shorts: G23 (Anthony Chen), Secret Heaven (Sun Koh), Birthday (Bertrand Lee), Monkey Love (Royston Tan), Sons (Royston Tan), Crocodile Journals (Yeo Lee Nah), 9:30 (Yong Mun Chee) and Blackboard Whiteshoes (Green Zeng and June Chua).
2005
  1. Be With Me – Directors Fortnight, produced by Zhao Wei Films, directed by Eric Khoo (first for Singapore)
2003
  1. Moving House – Kodak Emerging Filmmakers Showcase, directed by Tan Pin Pin
1997
  1. 12 Storeys – Un Certain Regard, produced by Zhao Wei Films, directed by Eric Khoo (first for Singapore)
Annex B

List of Selected Projects Supported by the Content Grants under the MTPP

CFP 2022 Selected Projects
  1. AMOEBA
  2. Tropical Rain, Death-Scented Kiss
  3. Ah Girl
  4. Orang Ikan
  5. 9 Temples to Heaven
  6. A Useful Ghost
  7. Crocodile Tears
  8. Don’t Cry, Butterfly
CFP 2019-21 Selected Projects
  1. Hell Battalion
  2. In My Mother’s skin
  3. Oasis Of Now
  4. Snow In Midsummer
  5. The Thonglor Kids
  6. Viet and Nam
  7. Stranger Eyes
  8. Writing Letters
  9. Cu Li Never Cries
  10. Inside The Yellow Cocoon Shell
  11. Skin of Youth
  12. Some Nights I Feel Like Walking
  13. The Women
  14. This City Is A Battlefield
  15. La Luna
  16. Ajoomma
  17. Mongrel
  18. Passion of Shangri-La (nka Geylang)
  19. Pierce
  20. Anatomy Of Time
  21. Arnold Is A Model Student
  22. Autobiography
  23. Glorious Ashes
  24. Regretfully At Dawn
  25. Tiger Stripes
  26. Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash
  27. Yuni

LAST UPDATED: 25 JUL 2024

Issued by the Infocomm Media Development Authority

About Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA)

The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) leads Singapore’s digital transformation with infocomm media. To do this, IMDA will develop a dynamic digital economy and a cohesive digital society, driven by an exceptional infocomm media (ICM) ecosystem – by developing talent, strengthening business capabilities, and enhancing Singapore's ICM infrastructure. IMDA also regulates the telecommunications and media sectors to safeguard consumer interests while fostering a pro-business environment, and enhances Singapore’s data protection regime through the Personal Data Protection Commission.

For more news and information, visit www.imda.gov.sg or follow IMDA on LinkedIn (@IMDA), Facebook (@IMDAsg) and Instagram (@IMDAsg).

About Singapore Film Commission

The Singapore Film Commission (SFC), part of the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), champions the growth of the Singapore’s film industry by nurturing a local pool of talent with the capability to produce quality international content. It is advised by a committee comprising members from the film, arts and cultural community. Since 1998, the SFC has supported more than 800 short films, scripts, feature films, as well as film-related events in Singapore that showcase homegrown talent and works.

For media clarifications, please contact:

(Ms) Bridget Chang
Manager
(Communications and Marketing)
IMDA
Email: media@imda.gov.sg

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