SINGAPORE FILM MAKERS URGED TO SUBMIT FILMS, NETWORK AND EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES IN KUCHING DURING FILM FESTIVAL IN MAY 2017

The ASEAN International Film Festival & Awards 2017 (AIFFA), launched on 16 February in Kuching, Malaysia brought its roadshow to Singapore with a call to Singaporean filmmakers to send in their very best, as the film world continues its search for unique content from non-traditional storytelling regions of the world.

AIFFA Festival Director Livan Tajang led the AIFFA team at the roadshow in Singapore recently. She pointed out that the biennial event in Kuching, Sarawak, in Borneo is now in its third edition and has grown in attracting more entries than in previous years.

“AIFFA has become the film fest to go to in reaching the ASEAN market. More financiers and producers are also participating this time round, as they see the potential of this region to produce outstanding and unique content,” she said. AIFFA PRESS RELEASE SINGAPORE She elaborated that for the first time more financiers and producers have confirmed participation in AIFFA 2017, as the business side of the ASEAN filmmaking industry is also taking notice of a 600-million population base to cater to. Ms Tajang pointed out that Singaporean filmmakers would benefit from attending AIFFA in Kuching through a golden opportunity – the first AIFFA Biz World, a collaboration between AIFFA and the Southeast Asian Audio-Visual Association (SAVAA). It will allow filmmakers to tap SAVAA, which is the region’s largest media investment network comprising creative producers, IP owners, distributors and content financiers.

The AIFFA programme covers not just the three days of the film fest, but also a series of events leading to the actual festival in May. The first of these will be a 3-day Hollywood MasterClass Program in Kuala Lumpur for young filmmakers, and media promotion in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

AIFFA 2017 will make its presence felt in Kuching, the state capital of Sarawak, where it has become a signature event in the cultural life of the city, as well as an attraction for tourists, as top film stars such as Jackie Chan and Michelle Yeoh, have attended previous editions.

In April, there will be free ASEAN films every weekend at the popular Godown Amphitheatre Waterfront.

The 3-day AIFFA festivities over 4-6 May will include a movie marathon of international and ASEAN films at selected cinemas around Kuching, and an informative Café Crawl at three selected cafes with talks by filmmakers, open to AIFFA delegates to learn, network and share.

AIFFA is also attempting to break the GUINESS WORLD RECORD for the largest gathering of people in cat costume on the 4th of May during AIFFA's opening night in Kuching. Kuching, anyway, is the Malay translation of the word cat. AIFFA invites all Singaporean to attend AIFFA and to also come in their best cat costumes too to join Kuchingites in breaking the world record!

The Gala Night on 6th of May will feature a black tie dinner where winners will be announced and awards presented in 16 categories recognizing the talents of directors, directors of photography, actors, writers and editors. These awards also recognize the areas of Lifetime Achievement and Inspiration.