Singapore Fest Changes Competition Criteria; Lucrecia Martel To Head Jury

Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) has unveiled the ten titles selected for its Asian Feature Film (AFF) Competition, which has changed its criteria to include films at every stage of a filmmakers’ career.

In addition, the festival has announced that Argentinian filmmaker Lucrecia Martel will head this year’s competition jury.

Martel, whose film Zama screened at SGIFF 2017, returns to the festival this year with her latest work, Landmarks (Nuestra Tierra), featured in the Standpoint Section.

Selected AFF titles include Cactus Pears from India, which won a Grand Jury Prize at this year’s Sundance film festival; Cannes Critics Week award winner A Useful Ghost, which was co-produced with Singapore; Singaporean filmmaker Tan Siyou’s Amoeba, currently travelling the festival circuit following its Toronto premiere; and Chinese filmmaker Chen Deming’s documentary Always.

AFF previously focused on first, second and third films from emerging filmmakers. The festival said the change “underscores SGIFF’s ongoing commitment to championing cinematic excellence across Asia. By embracing both established and emerging voices, the competition aims to showcase the creative diversity that continues to shape and redefine Asian storytelling on the global stage.”

SGIFF, part of the Singapore Media Festival 2025 hosted by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), is scheduled to take place November 26 to December 7, 2025.

SGIFF 2025 ASIAN FEATURE FILM COMPETITION:

Always, dir: Chen Deming (China)

Amoeba, dir: Tan Siyou (Singapore)

Black Rabbit, White Rabbit, dir: Shahram Mokri (Iran)

Cactus Pears, dir: Rohan Parashuram Kanawade (India)

Human Resource, dir: Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit (Thailand)

Mag Mag, dir: Yuriyan Retriever (Japan)

Riverstone, dir: Lalith Rathnayake (Sri Lanka)

Shape Of Momo, dir: Tribeny Rai (India)

Two Seasons, Two Strangers, dir: Sho Miyake (Japan).

A Useful Ghost, dir: Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke (Thailand)