The 14th Singapore Chinese Film Festival will take place from April 24 to May 3 at Golden Village Bugis+ and Golden Village Funan. Reflecting the growing prevalence of cross border collaborations, 8 of the 46 films showcased this year are international co productions. The remaining titles are from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, China, the United States, and Singapore.
The films are categorised into 4 major sections. Chinese Panorama presents 19 narrative films; Documentary Vision showcases 4 feature-length documentaries; Chinese Shorts Showcase features 20 short films from different regions; Restored Classics revisits 3 recently restored Hong Kong and Taiwanese classics.
Chinese Panorama
This year’s opening film is The Waves Will Carry Us. Directed by Lau Kek-huat, a Malaysian-born filmmaker based in Taiwan, the film draws from his cross-regional life experiences. Through dark humour, it explores identity politics in Malaysia while reflecting the complex realities of intergenerational migration and shifting identities within the Chinese diaspora. This film sets an important opening note for the festival by inaugurating its central theme of diaspora.
In addition to the opening film, three other international co-productions explore the theme of diaspora. Mother Bhumi, directed by Malaysian filmmaker Chong Keat Aun and co-produced by Malaysia, Hong Kong, Italy and Saudi Arabia; Lucky Lu, directed by Korean-Canadian filmmaker Lloyd Lee Choi, a United States-Canada-Taiwan co-production that earned Chang Chen the Best Leading Actor Award at the 62nd Golden Horse Awards; and Finch & Midland, directed by Chinese-Canadian filmmaker Timothy Yeung, a Canada Hong Kong co-production starring Anthony Wong, Patrick Tam and Nina Paw. Set in Malaysia, the United States, and Canada respectively, these films portray the lived experiences of overseas Chinese communities through cross-cultural perspectives and multilingual expression.
Co-productions have extended to address a broader range of social issues. Some films focus on family dynamics and educational structures. For instance, Deep Quiet Room uses elements of suspense to reveal power imbalances in parent-child relationships, while Deadline reflects on academic pressure and hyper-competitive school culture through a mysterious suicide notice. Other works explore gender diversity and emotional experiences. Queerpanorama portrays the presence of queer communities through bodily experience of individuals wandering the city, while Girlfriends traces a woman’s transformation and growth through relationships that unfold across three countries at different stages of her life.
This year’s Hong Kong feature films exhibit a distinct genre inclination, with a particular emphasis on science fiction and urban fantasy. Ciao UFO draws inspiration from the UFO legend surrounding Wah Fu Estate in the 1980s, weaving together personal coming of-age stories with collective memories of the city. Unidentified Murder blends comedy and mystery to satirise today’s attention-driven culture. Herman Yau’s We’re Nothing at All begins with a deadly bus explosion that unravels personal entanglements and hidden truths.
Four films from China are featured. The Sun Rises on Us All follows former lovers entangled in a twisted love-hate relationship. Poor Taxi uses absurdist storytelling to depict the survival strategies of those living on society’s margins. Two Tibetan-themed films, Life of Luo Sang and Linka Linka, explore ethical dilemmas and lived experiences within the context of minority cultural contexts through family conflicts and personal growth.
Five Taiwanese films are featured, including the opening film The Waves Will Carry Us and closing film A Foggy Tale. Marching Boys follows high school students fighting to save their marching band and pursue their dreams. Family Matters chronicles 24 years in a rural Taiwanese family through four perspectives. Unexpected Courage, directed by Shawn Yu, draws on his personal life experiences to reflect on intimacy and life choices. A Foggy Tale engages with historical trauma through reenactment, responding to contemporary society’s ongoing questions about memory and justice. Together, these films highlight the rich diversity of themes and styles within Taiwanese cinema.
The closing film, A Foggy Tale, directed by Chen Yu-hsun, is set against Taiwan’s White Terror period (1951-1960) and sheds light on its victims. The film won four awards at the 62nd Golden Horse Awards, including Best Narrative Feature.
Documentary Vision
The Documentary Vision presents four films. Palimpsest: The Story of a Name, a Hong Kong–Taiwan–France co-production directed by Mary Stephen, explores diasporic identity through family archives. Guardians of Our Planet, directed by Taiwanese filmmaker Shu Meng-lan, documents a 15-year ecological journey across seven continents, capturing the breathtaking polar regions. A Chip Odyssey, directed by Hsiao Chu‑chen, traces Taiwan’s rise as a global semiconductor hub through first‑hand accounts. Following the well-received Poetries from the Bookstores: Season 3 last year, the series returns with Poetries from the Bookstores: Somewhere I Belong, featuring 16 bookstores located in diverse landscapes, each with its own unique story.
Chinese Shorts Showcase
The Chinese Shorts Showcase presents 20 short films in four short film collections: two fictional narrative collections—Chinese Shorts and Shanghai Film Academy Shorts; the Documentary Shorts: Got Pray Got Blessing; and Animated Shorts.
The Chinese Shorts takes the family as its primary narrative setting. Pile On, winner of Best Live Action Short Film at the 62nd Golden Horse Awards, follows ten-year-old Xiaohu, who invites friends over to play while his parents attend a wedding, only for their fun to spiral into disaster. Cockroach Family portrays the struggles of fruit wholesalers in a traditional market. A Day, That Year depicts a child’s tantrum during a shopping trip that triggers an unexpectedly intense reaction from his mother. Car uncovers family secrets through the sale of a second‑hand car. In Nowhere, Lao Lin discovers an abandoned statue and hopes to sell it to improve his life, only to receive a mysterious gift instead.
The Shanghai Film Academy Shorts primarily showcases award-winning works from the 18th Xie Jin Student Shorts Award. These include What a Terrible Film, winner of the Best Film Editing; The House Knows No Tears, recipient of the Best Sound Award; Fireprayer that earned the Best Director; The Secret Night which received the Best Student Short at the Los Angeles Independent Shorts Awards; and Apu Dumu, a magical realist short set against the cultural backdrop of the Yi ethnic community.
Documentary Shorts: Got Pray Got Blessing is a special short film collection at this year’s festival, curated by Dr Wu Qi from the Chinese Studies programme at the Singapore University of Social Sciences. Featuring three documentary shorts from Taiwan and Singapore, it explores theChinese folk beliefs and religious practices. The Homecoming Pilgrimage of Dajia Mazu and The Boat-Burning Festival present rare footage of the Taiwan in 1970s. The Singapore documentary Gods on Earth: Everyday Sacred in a Global City examines how sacred spaces emerge in unexpected urban settings and the rich social and cultural meanings they carry. In conjunction with this documentary shorts, the “Got Pray Got Blessing” panel discussion invites three scholars of religious studies, Kenneth Dean, Francis Lim and Jack Chia, to share their insights.
The Animated Shorts presents six short films from the United States, Taiwan and Hong Kong. He Looked Back for a Moment and Time Passed and Beneath the Blue Cloud use ultra-short runtimes to reflect the hardships of both the era and the family. The Taiwanese short films Till The Stars Rise and The Litterateur explore science-fiction themes. The Hong Kong short film Blacky the Metal Arm Cat blends sci-fi with martial arts, showcasing new possibilities for Chinese animation. Rocked by the Wind invites audiences into the countryside to experience Taiwan’s distinctive landscapes and local culture.
Restored Classics
The Restored Classics features two Hong Kong New Wave films—The System (1979) and Love Massacre (1981)—alongside a key work from Taiwan New Cinema, The Woman of Wrath (1984). The System pioneered the cinematic portrayal of police surveillance and tailing tactics using handheld cameras and on-location shooting. In Love Massacre, Brigitte Lin breaks away from her romantic persona and reunites with Charlie Chin in a bold psychological thriller. The Woman of Wrath confronts deeply unequal marital power dynamics rooted in traditional society.
In addition, the festival presents two festival forums: the “Got Pray Got Blessing” panel discussion mentioned above, and “Malaysian Chinese-Language Cinema: Filmmakers in Conversation”, which brings together filmmakers Lau Kek-huat, Jin Ong, and Chong Keat Aun for an in-depth discussion.
Chinese diasporas have taken root across the world. Through interactions with local cultures, Chinese culture has evolved into a diverse and multifaceted global phenomenon. This diversity continues to enrich the Chinese cinema and shape the Singapore Chinese Film Festival. This year’s festival continues to offer a distinctive film lineup and opportunities to engage with filmmakers. We warmly invite all to join us. For more information, please visit the Singapore Chinese Film Festival official website and social media platforms.
Opening Film: The Waves Will Carry Us
Closing Film: A Foggy Tale
Venue & Ticketing
Advance ticket sales start from Thursday, April 9, 2026
Golden Village Bugis+
201 Victoria Street #05-01 Bugis+ Singapore 188067
Golden Village Funan
107 North Bridge Road #05-01 Funan Singapore 179105
Tickets are available at all GV box offices and website http://www.gv.com.sg/
S$ 16：General Public
S$ 15：SFS Members/ SUSS staff, students, alumni/ GV Movie Club Members
Please present a valid membership ID at the box office or key in the promo code upon check out. Up to four tickets can be purchased per transaction when using a promo code to purchase tickets online.
Admission to Festival Forum is free with registration on https://scff.peatix.com/. Registration opens on 13 April (Monday).
More from Wake Up Singapore:-
Landmark 35th Edition of the European Film Festival Opens with New Partnerships and Collaborations
If you have a story or a tip-off, email admin@wakeup.sg or get in touch via Whatsapp at 8882 5913.
Interested in advertising on our media channels? Reach out to us at admin@wakeup.sg!
Since you have made it to the end of the article, follow Wake Up Singapore on Telegram and X!
Wake Up Singapore is a volunteer-run site that covers alternative views in Singapore. If you want to volunteer with us, sign up here!
