The Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) is back, bringing a line-up of acclaimed filmmakers, actors, and films from across Asia to our sunny shores.
Among the names audiences can expect to see in person are Aamir Khan, Park Sung-hoon, Shim Eun-kyung, Anthony Wong, and Peter Chan, who’ll be here for everything from opening-night appearances and special anniversary screenings to post-screening dialogues and intimate conversations about their careers.
Image courtesy of SGIFF
Running from 21 Oct to 1 Nov, this year’s festival will also spotlight more than 25 Singapore productions and co-productions, alongside international screenings, competition titles, family-friendly programmes, and performances that take cinema beyond the conventional screen.
One of the biggest names confirmed for SGIFF 2026 is Aamir Khan, one of Bollywood’s most prominent actors, producers, and filmmakers, with a career spanning four decades.
Image courtesy of SGIFF
His films have found audiences well beyond India, and he has become known for taking on stories that balance mainstream appeal with social themes.
In recognition of his contributions to Asian cinema, Khan will receive SGIFF’s prestigious Screen Icon Award, which honours actors who have made a significant impact on bringing Asian stories to life on screen.
He’ll also be marking another major milestone while he’s here, attending a special presentation and 25th anniversary screening of the beloved classic ‘Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India’ alongside the film’s director, Ashutosh Gowariker.
Image courtesy of SGIFF
Released in 2001, ‘Lagaan’, which earned a nomination for Best International Film at the 2002 Academy Awards, follows a group of villagers in colonial India who challenge their British rulers to a game of cricket in hopes of escaping a punishing tax.
And if you want to hear from the man himself, Khan will also sit down for an In Conversation With session on 22 Oct, where he’ll reflect on his career both in front of and behind the camera.
K-drama and Korean cinema fans have plenty to look forward to as well, with SGIFF opening on ‘The Assassin(s)’, a political thriller set against South Korea’s Liberation Day in 1974.
The film follows a detective who begins questioning the official account of a shooting and teams up with a reporter and editor to uncover the truth, putting them at odds with the authorities, and stars Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il, and Lee Min-ho.
Image courtesy of SGIFF
Director Hur Jin-ho will be attending the SGIFF opening, alongside supporting cast members Shim Eun-kyung and Park Sung-hoon.
Park gained global recognition through Netflix hits such as ‘The Glory’ and ‘Squid Game’, while Shim is known for films including ‘Sunny’ and ‘Miss Granny’.
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Shim will have another moment in the spotlight beyond opening night when she headlines her own In Conversation With session on 22 Oct, reflecting on a career that has taken her from Korean television and cinema to acclaimed work in Japan.
Source: @ekshim_ on Instagram
The festival’s conversations continue with several other heavyweights from Asian cinema, including veteran Hong Kong actor Anthony Wong, whom cinemagoers will recognise from films such as ‘The Untold Story’, ‘Beast Cops’, the ‘Infernal Affairs’ trilogy, and ‘Still Human’.
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At SGIFF, Wong will look back on his four-decade career during an In Conversation With session on 29 Oct, before also taking part in a post-screening dialogue for ‘My Name Ain’t Suzie’, the 1985 film that marked his first acting role.
Also joining the festival’s conversation slate is Hong Kong filmmaker Peter Chan, the director behind ‘Comrades, Almost a Love Story’, ‘Perhaps Love’, ‘The Warlords’, and ‘Wu Xia’. His In Conversation With session on 22 Oct will revisit a career that has taken him from Hong Kong cinema to Hollywood and wider pan-Asian collaborations.
Another major name heading to SGIFF is Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Koreeda. Best known for films such as ‘Nobody Knows’, ‘Still Walking’, ‘Shoplifters’, and ‘Monster’, Koreeda will receive SGIFF’s Cinema Honorary Award, while his latest film, ‘Look Back’, will screen as part of the programme.
Image courtesy of SGIFF
He’ll also take part in an In Conversation With session on 24 Oct, where he’ll reflect on more than three decades of filmmaking and the recurring themes that have shaped his work.
The international stars may be one of SGIFF’s biggest draws, but the festival is also making sure homegrown talent gets its moment in the spotlight.
More than 25 Singapore productions and co-productions that have already travelled to major festivals including Cannes, Sundance, Toronto, Venice, and Melbourne will be featured at SGIFF, bringing some of the country’s recent international successes back to local screens.
Among them is Ang Geck Geck’s ‘Ah Girl’, whose nine-year-old star Ong Xuan Jing won Best Actress at the Hong Kong International Film Festival’s Young Cinema Competition.
Source: SGIFF
Other Singapore and Singapore-linked titles include Nelson Yeo’s ‘The House on the Moon’, Koji Fukada’s ‘Nagi Notes’, ‘The Burning Giants’, ‘Four Seasons in Java’, and ‘9 Temples to Heaven’.
Several will also be vying for honours on home ground, with ‘Ah Girl’, ‘9 Temples to Heaven’, ‘The Burning Giants’, and ‘Four Seasons in Java’ competing in SGIFF’s Asian Feature Film Competition.
Not everything at SGIFF will involve sitting through a conventional film screening. Its Undercurrent programme will open with three live performances that combine moving images with everything from Taiwanese puppetry and live video gaming to analogue film techniques and music, offering a different way to experience storytelling beyond the cinema screen.
The 37th Singapore International Film Festival runs from 21 Oct to 1 Nov. General ticket sales are now open, and Singaporeans can also use SG Culture Pass credits for eligible local film programmes.
You can browse the full SGIFF 2026 programme and book tickets via the official website.
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Featured image courtesy of SGIFF and adapted from United Daily News and @boxabum on Instagram.