The 37th Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) put its full programme online at noon today, Friday 25 September 2026. The festival runs from 21 October to 1 November, a month earlier than usual, and public ticket sales open on Monday 28 September at 12pm.
> Quick view: 21 Oct-1 Nov 2026 · 105 films and programmes across 9 sections · public sales 28 Sep, 12pm, only on sgiff.com · general tickets $15, Opening/Closing $25, Special Presentations $20 · $2 off for students, NSmen and 55+ · SG Culture Pass credits accepted for eligible films · opening film The Assassin(s), 21 Oct, Sands Theatre at Marina Bay Sands
What is on
SGIFF has moved from its usual late-November slot to 21 October to 1 November 2026. The line-up now on sgiff.com covers 105 titles and programmes:
| Section | What it is | Titles |
|---|---|---|
| Asian Feature Film Competition | New Asian features in competition | 10 |
| Southeast Asian Short Film Competition | Regional shorts, in five programmes | 24 |
| Singapore Panorama | Local shorts, in three programmes | 16 |
| Horizon | World cinema from this year's festival circuit | 17 |
| Foreground | Genre films | 10 |
| Undercurrent | Artist films and live performances | 11 |
| Standpoint | Social and political cinema | 7 |
| Landmark | Restored classics | 7 |
| Junior Explorers | Films for young audiences | 3 |
Opening film: *The Assassin(s)*, a South Korean political thriller by Hur Jin-ho (131 min, PG13) set around the 15 August 1974 shooting at the National Theater of Korea. It opens the festival on Wednesday 21 October, 8.30pm, at the Sands Theatre, Marina Bay Sands, with a second screening on 22 October at 2pm at the National Museum's Gallery Theatre. It is a Southeast Asian premiere.
The two big names:
- Hirokazu Koreeda (*Shoplifters*, *Broker*) receives SGIFF's Cinema Honorary Award. His new film *Look Back*, a live-action adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto's manga, screens as a Special Presentation with a Q&A on Saturday 24 October, 7pm, GV VivoCity.
- Aamir Khan receives the Screen Icon Award. *Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India* (2001, 224 min) screens restored as a Special Presentation with a Q&A on Friday 23 October, 6pm, GV VivoCity.
The Silver Screen Awards are on 31 October. Actress Rebecca Lim is this year's Festival Ambassador. The closing film had not been listed on sgiff.com when we checked at 12.20pm.
Venues: Golden Village Bugis+, Cineleisure and VivoCity, the National Museum's Gallery Theatre, Filmhouse, Oldham Theatre, Esplanade Annexe Studio and the Sands Theatre at Marina Bay Sands. The Festival Lounge is at LASALLE College of the Arts (Block D, Level 1, 1 McNally Street).
Ticket prices
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Festival Opening / Closing | $25 |
| Special Presentation (e.g. Look Back, Lagaan) | $20 |
| Junior Explorers combo (1 adult + 1 child under 16) | $20 |
| Undercurrent live performance | $20 |
| General film ticket | $15 |
| In Conversation With (forum) | $10 |
Discounts (one per transaction):
- $2 off for students, National Servicemen and seniors aged 55 and above. ID is checked at the door.
- 10% off for Kinokuniya members and for Catch members.
- 15% off for SGIFFriends (a donation of $10 or more at donate.sgiff.com).
- Undercurrent Pass, $50 (new this year): one ticket to every Undercurrent programme, including the live performances. Limited quantity, on sale from 28 September.
All of these discounts apply only to general film tickets and In Conversation With sessions. None of them work on the Opening, Closing or Special Presentations, so the Koreeda and Aamir Khan screenings are full price.
Using your SG Culture Pass credits
SGIFF accepts SG Culture Pass credits for eligible films. Under MCCY's rules these are local films, made by a Singapore citizen or PR as director, producer or writer. You redeem the credits through the Culture Pass site and get one unique code per ticket, which you enter at checkout on sgiff.com. If you are one of the many Singaporeans who have not spent any of their S$100, the Singapore Panorama shorts and the local features in the programme are an easy place to start.
How to book
- Make an account on sgiff.com now. Every ticket and pass this year is sold and managed only through sgiff.com, and you cannot buy without an account.
- Public sales: Monday 28 September, 12pm. Early bird access for Cinephile Pass holders and SGIFFriends opened today at 12pm, so some Special Presentation seats will already be gone by Monday.
- There are no counter sales. The only door sales are Rush Queue tickets at the venue.
- Online sales close 5 minutes before each screening. E-tickets come by email.
Fine print
- Regular screenings are free seating. Opening, Closing and Special Presentations have reserved seats.
- If you do not check in within 10 minutes of the start time, your seat goes to the Rush Queue. Doors lock 20 minutes after the start.
- Rush Queue: join up to 30 minutes before a sold-out screening. No-show seats are released 10 minutes after the start, one ticket per person, not guaranteed.
- Tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable. You only get a refund if a screening is cancelled or rescheduled.
- Children aged 2 and above need their own ticket. Check the film rating first, because underage viewers are turned away and the ticket is not refunded.
- Cinephile Pass (minimum $50 donation, by application until 30 September): Rush Queue access to non-sold-out screenings, Festival Lounge access and 3 free tickets (not for Opening, Closing, Special Presentations or the Junior Explorers combo).
What this means for you
- For the Koreeda or Aamir Khan screenings, be online at 12pm on Monday. They have one screening each, the seats are reserved, and no discount applies.
- For everything else, $13 is the real price if you are a student, NSman or 55+. That is cheaper than a weekend blockbuster at most cinemas.
- Check whether your Culture Pass credits cover a film before you pay cash for anything local.
- The festival ends on 1 November, so it no longer clashes with year-end travel.
Photo: SGIFF official (still from the opening film The Assassin(s)).
