Singapore Short Film Awards
The Singapore Short Film Awards (abbreviation: SSFA) is an annual event which promotes and recognises excellence in short films in Singapore. It began in 2010 and was jointly organised by The Substation and Objectifs, presented by The Substation's Moving Images. Created by filmmaker Chai Yee Wei, former Programme Manager of The Substation's Moving Images Low Beng Kheng and current Co-Founder of Objectifs Yuni Hadi, the Singapore Short Film Awards highlights quality work done annually in the short film genre in Singapore - by seeking out new talent, reflecting current standards of the short film genre and to bring together both the veterans and the young talents as a community to create a space for networking and sharing.
The SSFA programme traditionally includes a week-long schedule of film screenings and presents all Singapore shorts submitted during an open call for entries starting September to November of every year. The competition accepts films that have been made within the two years before the competition, but screened publicly only the year before the competition. There is a submission fee of $10. Screenings for SSFA are held at The Substation Theatre, with the exception of 2015, where screenings were shifted to The Projector. All screenings are entry by donation.
Each year, an Honorary Award is given to an individual or organisation whom had made significant contributions to the Singapore film community through their work in short films. The Awards Ceremony is held following the end of the week-long schedule of screenings, in attendance of a Guest-of-Honour who will typically present the Honorary Award.
During the first few editions, SSFA was the only platform that recognised excellence in short films in Singapore.
For its 6th edition in 2015, The Substation's Moving Images became the sole organiser of the Singapore Short Film Awards.
1st Singapore Short Film Awards[edit]
The 1st Singapore Short Film Awards was held from 25–31 January 2010. Out of 133 films submitted, 33 films were selected as nominees in 10 different categories, highlighting technical achievements, as well as performance. There was participation from both experienced professionals and students from schools such as Tisch School for the Arts (Asia) and Nanyang Technological University.
All film entries and nominees were screened at The Substation Theatre. The Awards Ceremony was held on 31 January 2010. With close to 100 invited nominees and guests attending, the ceremony's Guest of Honour was filmmaker Eric Khoo and the emcee was Singapore-based actress Yeo Yann Yann.
The jury panel comprised Malaysian independent filmmaker Liew Seng Tat, former board member of the Singapore International Film Festival Jasmine Ng, experimental filmmaker Victric Thng, National Museum's Cinematheque programme curator Warren Sin and TODAY newspaper journalist, Mayo Martin.
The event was supported by The Shooting Gallery, Infinite Frameworks and Face to Face.
Award Categories[edit]
There were not more than 5 nominees per category and there were 10 categories in total.
(winners in bold)
Best Director
Sun Koh - Dirty Bitch
Wu Ruojing - Home?
Basil Mironer - Rare Fish
Kirsten Tan - Cold Noodles
Jmin (Benjamin Tan) - The Girl with The Red Balloons
Best Animation
Tan Wei Keong - Hush Baby
Iyvone Khoo & Miguel Guzman - The Mothcatcher
Joo Choon Lin - Come out and Play!
Best Fiction
Kat Goh - Swimming Lesson
Sun Koh - Dirty Bitch
Basil Mironer - Rare Fish
Eric Elofson - Master of His Domain
Sulaiman Salamon - Fighting Fit
Best Documentary
Dana Lam - She Shapes A Nation
Wu Ruojing - Home?
Vicknesh Varan - Special Pass
Ghazi Alqudcy & Ezzam Rahman - Forgotten Merlion
Wan (Idzwan Othman) - Black Friday
Best Cinematography
Chananun Chotrungroj - Sink
Tay Yuxian - A Hole In The Bed
Isabel Wong Liliing, Lydia - Home?
Eugene Koh - Blue Date
Lim Teck Siang - Threshold
Best Editing
Kirsten Tan - Cold Noodles
Jack Haycox - 5 Films in an Anthology of a Film a Month
Daniel Hidajat - Outing
Alicia Yang & Danny Lim - My Underwear My World
Chen Junbin - The Girl with The Red Balloons
Best Script
Martin Hong - Dreaming Kester
Christopher Broe - A Perfect Harmony
Loo Zihan - Threshold
Eric Elofson - Master of His Domain
Best Art Direction
James Page - H The Happy Robot
Eric Lim - Public Phone
Rene Pannevis - Rare Fish
Jacen Tan - Rudra – Hymns from The Blazing Chariot
Eric Lin & Wong Munlai - The Robber
Best Soundtrack
Dirty Bitch
Threshold
Newton
The Karma of The Tree Sentinel Who Awakes
Best Performance (award not given)
Ong Xiu Ping – Madam Chan
Rebecca Dass – Bright
Oliver Mangham – Master of His Domain
Damus Lim - Brazil
A statement from the jury members reads, “The jury has enjoyed the performances in the nominated films in this category, but we feel that as the Singapore film community, we can push ourselves much further, and would encourage filmmakers and actors to rise to the occasion.”
Honorary Award
For outstanding contribution to the film community through short films
Royston Tan
2nd Singapore Short Film Awards[edit]
The 2nd Singapore Short Film Awards was held between 28 February- 6 March 2011. Organisers received a total of 126 entries, of which 55 were selected for nomination by a pre-selection committee that included filmmakers Jasmine Ng, Victric Thng and Kat Goh.
The award ceremony was held on 6 March 2011 at the Substation Theatre. Filmmaker Jack Neo was the guest of honour.
The jury panel consisted of award-winning Thai film producer, Soros Sukhum (‘Eternity’, ‘Mundane History’), filmmaker and last year's winner for Best Director and Best Fiction, Sun Koh (‘Dirty Bitch’), filmmaker Leonard Lai (‘The High Cost of Living’) and former Singapore International Film Festival director & programmer, Lesley Ho.
The event was supported by The Singapore Film Commission, The Shooting Gallery, Infinite Frameworks Face to Face, The Hong Leong Foundation Handburger and Sakae Sushi.
Award Categories[edit]
A new award category for "Best Experimental" was included.
(winners in bold)
Best Director
Scot Free – Chia Peizhen
Wake – Atsuko Hiranayagi
Timeless – K Rajagopal
Bani Ibrahim (Children of Abraham) – Raihan Harun
Masala Mama – Michael Kam
Special Mention: Jow Zhi Wei for Waiting
Best Animation
The Beat of The City That Freezed
Contained [Dir: Harry Zhuang and Henry Zhuang]
Evie
The Fish and The Ring
CMYK
Best Fiction
Checkmate
Wake
Bani Ibrahim (Children of Abraham) [Dir: Raihan Harun]
Timeless
Scot Free
Best Documentary (award not given)
Too Far North
Post-Love
Soi Chang: Elephants on the Streets
The Bird That Shakes The Jute Fields
Mrs Santha Bhaskar
The jury members provided a statement that read, “Documentaries should break new ground and inform the audience. They should deliver a strong message and a point of view.”
Best Editing
Epiphany – Lim Chee Harn
Flux – Nigel Heng
Void Decked – Zahra Shukor
Timeless – Shantha Kumar
Peep – Wesley Leon Aroozoo
Best Sound (award not given)
You Disappear – Reizuan Rosli
Nobody's Home – Teo Wei Yong
Sehari Sendiri – Jason Foster
The Beat of The City That Freezed – Joo Chon Lin
The Forest Spirits – Studio.MB
Special Mention: Contained for Sound Design
The jury released a statement that read, “Sound design is more than just putting music into a film. It involves a sound scape. Knowing when you need sound or music, when you do not need it, when it is enough is all sound design. All in service of the film. The jury regrets that they did not see this application of sound design in the nominated films”
The jury gave a Special Mention for animated film, ‘Contained’, for Sound Design. Jury member Leonard Lai said," ‘Contained’ has created a sound scape that the jury felt placed them in the same time and space as the character. We can feel the wind and waves through the sound design. We are pleased to have a special mention for sound design for ‘Contained’"
Best Art Direction
Mickey – Wesley Leon Aroozoo, Michelle Cheong
Wake – Atsuko Hirayanagi, Shirlyn Jennifer Wong [Dir: Atsuko Hirayanagi]
A Light In The Darkness – Yang Shuhui
Aemaer – Loo Zihan
Timeless – Yeo Ke Liang, Ellijay Sim, Cho Yeijin
Best Cinematography
Wake – Corey Kupfer
Timeless – Michael Zaw, Joel San Juan [Dir: K Rajagopal]
Mrs Santha Bhaskar – Alan Yap
Checkmate – M Senthil Nathan
Flux – Hanafi Mohd.
Best Performance
Checkmate – Paneeirselvam
Wake – Michael Lee
Masala Mama – Mohan Vellayan
Timeless – Sivakumar Palakrishnan
Kitchen Quartet – Sally Poh
Special Mention: Zheng Wei He for Waiting
The jury released a statement that said, "He does not appear to be acting, he does not act."
The jury members gave a Special Mention for the film, ‘Waiting’, under the Best Performance category and Best Director category. They felt that ‘Waiting’ was under nominated and it deserved to be nominated in these categories, commending the director for being bold in doing less rather than more.
Best Script
Scot Free – Jonathan Choo, Chia Peizhen
Masala Mama – Michael Kam
Summer and Its Rain – Joshua Simon, Marjorie Teo
Waiting – Jow Zhi Wei
Bani Ibrahim (Children of Abraham) – Raihan Harun
Best Experimental (award not given)
Peep
Mickey
Void Decked
Flux
Aemaer
The jury released a statement that read, “Experimental films should be experiments in the cinematic form and unfortunately the jury did not see any bold experimentation and breakthrough in the cinematic form.”
Honorary Award for outstanding contribution to the film community through short films
Wee Li Lin
MISE EN SIN[edit]
In conjunction with the awards, MIS EN SIN, the first-ever film poster exhibition of Singapore films, took place in the Foyer area and Random Room of The Substation. It was organised by SINdie, the only website in Singapore fully dedicated to Singapore independent films and filmmakers, and sponsored by Samuel Seow Law Corporation. The exhibition featured over 100 film posters from about 60 Singapore filmmakers, from the established to the up-and-coming. The exhibition aimed to educate the public about some of the lesser-known filmmakers producing quality work as most Singaporeans were familiar with only a handful of practising filmmakers, and to open up a new branch of film appreciation in Singapore, that of poster art. Visitors could own copies of the various posters for a small contribution to the filmmakers.
3rd Singapore Short Film Awards[edit]
The 3rd Singapore Short Film Awards was held from 5–11 March 2012. The awards ceremony was held on 10 March at The Substation Theatre. There were 113 entries with 20 of the films nominated across 10 categories.
All film entries and nominees were screened at The Substation Theatre. The Awards Ceremony was held on 10 March 2012 with filmmaker Kelvin Tong as the event's Guest-of-Honour.
Award Categories[edit]
Winner in bold
Best Director
Godaizer – Hillary Yeo
Hentak Kaki – James Khoo
Bliss – Liang Xuan
The Hole – Tan Shijie
Lighthouse – Anthony Chen
Best Animation
Godaizer
Libertas
A Cloudy Conundrum
Burger Burger
Tales of the Chugawagas
Best Fiction
Sisters
Bliss
Thin Air
The Hole
Lighthouse
Best Documentary
Peace Be Upon You
Wild Dogs
Existence
Unheard
Best Editing
Wild Dogs – Saravanan Sambasivam
Bliss – Liang Xuan
Existence – Jeanette Lim, Audrey Woon, Yap Jun Hua, Wallace Woon
Sanzaru – Nurul Ain Muslan
Sisters – Chen Junbin
Best Sound
Bliss – Jones Roma (Audio post, scoring and ending song ‘Mind Theater’)
Burger Burger – Huang Shicong, Gavin Tan Jun Jie
Sanzaru – Josephine Ng (Sound Editor), Calvin Phua, Jean Goh, Roy Ng Wee Kiat (Music)
The Hole – Fabrizio Paterlini (Music), Marc Wiltshire (Sound Recordist)
Best Art Direction
Godaizer – Hilary Yeo, Ray Toh
Love in Every Genre – Kartini Saat
Mandy's 8 Theories of Sleep – Roseane Kalavathi
Sanzaru – Ng Mun, Haslina Ismail
Best Cinematography
Bliss – Liang Xuan
Cut Adrift – Erwin Chua
Existence –Yap Jun Hua, Wallace Woon
Lighthouse – Benoit Soler
The Hole –Nathaniel Carton
Best Performance
First Breath After Coma – Marc Gabriel Loh (Fie)
Love in Every Genre – Yazid Jalil (Yazid)
Sisters – Molly Jan (Auntie)
Hentak Kaki – Michael Chua (Teck)
Bliss – Yobel Nathaniel (Nixon / Nick)
Best Script
Godaizer – Hillary Yeo
Sisters – Michael Tay
Hentak Kaki – James Khoo
Bliss – Sondy Crawfurd
The Hole – Tan Shijie
Lighthouse – Anthony Chen
Honorary Award For outstanding contribution to the film community through short films
Lesley Ho
4th Singapore Short Film Awards[edit]
The 4th Singapore Short Film Awards was held from 25 February to 3 March 2013. The Awards Ceremony was held on 2 March 2013, with Guest-of-Honour Janice Koh, Nominated Member of Parliament for the Arts. There were 103 submissions with 22 films nominated over 10 categories.
For the first time, a fringe event was organised with nuSTUDIOS, a student filmmaking society at National University of Singapore, where films of past SSFA nominees and award winners were screened. There was also a partnership with the Hong Kong International Mobile Film Awards 2012 (HKIMFA). SSFA and HKIMFA selected a nominated film to represent Singapore to compete with 10 other festivals around the world.
Award Categories[edit]
Winner In Bold
Best Fiction
Broken Crayon by Ang Geck Geck
Last One Standing by Naresh Subhash
All The Lines Flow Out by Charles Lim
Ying & Summer by Gladys Ng
Best Director
Ang Geck Geck for Broken Crayon
Liao Jiekai for Before the Wedlock House
Anthony Chen for Karang Guni
Charles Lim for All The Lines Flow Out
Gladys Ng for Ying & Summer
Best Sound
Justin Seah for Black and White and Silence
Zai Kuning, Zai Tang for Jalan Jati
Teo Wei Yong (Music Composer), Kevin Teoh (Sound Designer) for Seeya in Elektrik Dreamz
Evan Tan for All The Lines Flow Out
Teo Wei Yong for Wormhole
Best Cinematography
Liao Jiekai for Before the Wedlock House
Benoit Soler for Karang Guni
Feng Kexin for Seeya in Elektrik Dreamz
John Maloney for Ying & Summer
Charles Lim for All The Lines Flow Out
Best Script
Ric Aw for Villain
Karankuni for Last One Standing
Anthony Chen for Karang Guni
Ang Geck Geck for Broken Crayon
Nigel Soh for Girlphobia
Best Documentary
Before the Wedlock House
That's Wicked!
Durga
It's Not Worth It
John Clang
Best Animation No winner selected
A judge's statement provided a Special Mention for animated short Jalan Jati.
Drunken Moon
Family Dinner
The Hunt
Best Performance No winner selected
A judge's statement provided a Special Mention for 12 year old actress Brittany Low, for "...holding her own against veteran actor Vincent Tee in her role as Ying in VILLAIN.
Denise Goh for Ah Girl in Broken Crayon
Jenny Zhou for Ying in Ying & Summer
Lee Yew Kang and Kong Kee Wee for Coach and Kong Kee Wee in Last One Standing
Oon Shu An for Alexis / Natalie in Daffodil
Best Art Direction
Eileen Loh for Karang Guni
Ang Geck Geck (Production Designer) for Janaki
Cindy Khoo (Production Designer), Nigel Heng, Wyna Yow (Assistant Art Director) for Seeya in Elektrik Dreamz
Chermin Teo and Yang Ke Liang for The Fountains
Koh Kim Joo for Soap
Best Editing
Aisya Rila for Janaki
Joycelyn Lee for That's Wicked!
Charles Lim for All The Lines Flow Out
Fran Borgia, Diana Tang for Black and White and Silence
Juliana Tan, Wang Jingyu for Durga
Honorary Award
K Rajagopal
5th Singapore Short Film Awards[edit]
The 5th Singapore Short Film Awards was held from 24 February to 2 March 2014 at The Substation Theatre. The Awards Ceremony was held on 1 March 2014, with Ms Angeline Poh, Assistant Chief Executive of the Media Development Authority, as the evening's Guest-of-Honour. There were 111 submissions, of which there were 21 nominees over 10 categories. SSFA continued its relationship with nuSTUDIOS in holding a fringe SSFA screening of selected past year's nominees, as well as its partnership with Hong Kong International Mobile Film Awards in curating 1 Singapore film from its nominees to compete against 10 other countries.
Award Categories[edit]
Winners in bold
Best Fiction
Abang
Bird
Detour
Dill Doe
Tightrope
Best Director
Daniel Hui for Animal Spirits
Dzafirul Haniff for Abang *Special Mention*
Kristen Ong for Bird
Michael Kam for Detour
Wu Linfeng for Tightrope
Best Documentary
Animal Spirits
The Kings
On Such and Such A Day, At Such and Such A Time
Best Animation
The Ant and The Frog
Fly With Me
Milk
Best Performance
Jaden A. Zander and Muhammad Zulkifli Bin Mohammed Salleh for Abang
Maxi Lim for Dill Doe
Michael Chua, Presley Lim and Yolby Low for Detour
Michelle Lo for Bird
Nadiah M. Din and Nafisah Anwar for Tudung
Wang Lu Ying and Ren Xing for Tightrope
Best Script
Kristen Ong for Bird
Lauren Teo for The Lying Theory
Michael Kam for Detour
Nadiyah Rahmat for Tudung
Wu Linfeng for Tightrope *Special Mention*
Best Editing
Adam Choong for Bird
Ho Wei Joey for The Kings
Nelson Yeo for The Story I Forgot To Tell
Song Ying for Tightrope
Teo Qi Yu and Natalie Khoo for On Such and Such A Day, At Such and Such A Time
Best Sound
Burtt See and Inch Chua for Sunshine
Joshua Conceicao and Nicholas Chia (Original Music) for Giselle
Kristen Ong and Lincoln Yeo for Every Single Night
Shawn Wang for Bird
Teo Wei Yong and Nelson Yeo for The Story I Forgot To Tell
Best Art Direction
Adam Choong, Kristen Ong and Thilagan Narayansamy for Every Single Night
Martin Hong for Giselle
Tang Hui Huan for Tadpoles
Martin Hong, Shane Lim and Ian Kong for Orbits
Tracy Marie Lee for Pinch
Best Cinematography
Kelvin Chew for Giselle
Lincoln Yeo for Bird
Nelson Yeo for The Story I Forgot To Tell
Teo Qi Yu for On Such and Such A Day, At Such and Such A Time
Wong Xing Jie for Dill Doe
Honorary Award
Shooting Gallery Asia
6th Singapore Short Film Awards[edit]
The 6th Singapore Short Film Awards was held between 2–8 March 2015. Due to construction work on the SMU Law Building directly behind The Substation, the screening venue was shifted to The Projector. However, the Awards Ceremony was still held at The Substation Theatre, on 8 March 2015. Royston Tan and Tan Pin Pin were Guests-of-Honour at the event, presenting an Honorary Award to Yuni Hadi.
A special screening of the winning films was held at The Projector, on Saturday 14 March 2015, with most directors present for a Q&A following the screening.
There were 145 submissions - the highest ever for SSFA - with 27 nominees over 11 categories.
Award Categories[edit]
Winners in bold
Best Fiction
Bon Voyage
Last Trip Home
Stranger By Night
Chamber of Ox
Best Director
Alvin Lee / Bon Voyage
Grace Chew Hui Min / Destiny
Han Fengyu / Last Trip Home
Clare Chong / Stranger By Night
Tan Wei Keong / Pifuskin
Special Mention: He Shuming / And The Wind Falls
Best Documentary
The Longest Distance Relationship
Destiny
Chinese Housemaker
Family Recipe
Jia AKA Home
Best Animation
Afterline
Nascent
Cap’n Shmelly
Pifuskin
Best Performance
Juliette Yu-Ming / Dancer in Rite of Passage
Lim Poh Huat; Yulia Valerio, Russell Tan and Ram Rengachari / Stranger By Night
S. Sithira Thevi / Grandma in At Your Doorstep
Zhang Zheng Yang / Son in Last Trip Home
Teo Jun Jie and Lau Xiang Ying / Passenger
Best Script
Chen Yingxuan / Move Out Notice
Clare Chong / Stranger by Night
Kenny Gee / The Body
Shane Lim and Angelica Ho / November
Tan Seong / The Elephant Cannot Fly
Best Editing
Mads K Baekkevold / Chamber of Ox
Lau Xiang Ying / The Longest-Distance Relationship
Shelley Chan / Glitch
Ng Xi Jie and Julie Zhu / The Swan of Tuonela
Best Sound
Juliette Yu-Ming and Alexandre Brasil / Rite of Passage
Teo Wei Yong / Cap’n Shmelly
Avery Shen of Home Studio and Jesmen Tan / Bon Voyage
Ben Huff and Veronica Mullins / Nascent
Nick Talbot; Russell Adam Morton and Mads K. Baekkevold / Chamber of Ox
Best Art Direction
Michelle Cheong and Wendy Chee / At Your Doorstep
Keith Chong / Anchovies
Jerrold Chong and Ilana Kirschbaum / Nascent
Yi-Jun Ian / Graduation
Best Experimental
Pifuskin
Rite of Passage
You're Dead To Me
The Swan of Tuonela
Best Cinematography
Lim Beng Huat / Anchovies
Michael Zaw / At Your Doorstep
Jolinna Ang Sok Kun / Farewell Summer
Tang Hui Huan / Destiny
Seongbin Baek / And The Wind Falls
Special Jury Prize
Tang Kang Sheng / Passenger
Honorary Award
Yuni Hadi