Showcasing a diverse range of over 300 films from 40 countries, expect to be enthralled by the wonders of world cinema – right here in Singapore.

Sri Lanka’s Sankara directed by Prasanna Jayakody will open the festival on 18 April while Indonesia/Austria’s Opera Jawa directed by Garin Nugoho will close the annual event on 30 April. Both these films will take viewers on a spiritual journey which may just bring about a new level of enlightenment.

Look out for generous servings of Asian films and animation, critically-acclaimed works from Australia and Europe, as well as an energetic helping of films focusing on music. There are also tributes to Egyptian filmmaker Naguib Mahfouz (1911-2006) and the heart of New German Cinema Rainer Werner Fassibinder (1945-1982).

After beginning to showcase films from the Middle East in 2003’s festival, the organizers have been spoiling us with “The Secret Life of Arabia” ever since. It exposes us to a culture we may only be able to experience on screen.

To commemorate this year’s 20th anniversary, the organizers have also painstakingly gathered all the award-winning Singapore shorts from 1991 to 2006 in a groundbreaking nine-hour programme. To be exact, the entire five-part retrospective of films features 37 shorts with a total runtime of 592 minutes. The local filmmakers will also be present at the screenings.

Talk about national pride.

Yes, it is that time of the year for cinephiles to go gaga over the wide selection of films the festival has to offer. So whip out your calendars, mark down the films you’d be watching, go get your tickets, and prepare to experience the world.