April 2005

APB Foundation Sponsors the 18th Singapore International Film Festival

Renewing our commitment to nurture Singapore's film industry and promote this medium of art, the Asia Pacific Breweries (APB) Foundation once again became the presenting sponsor of the 18th Singapore International Film Festival which took place from 14 to 30 April.

This year, the Festival showcased over 300 films from 40 countries, highlighting the best in film from Asia, Europe, North America, Latin America and the Middle East. Some of the longest films were played at this year's Singapore International Film Festival with Filipino filmmaker Lav Diaz leading the list with his 11-hour-plus epic, Evolution of a Filipino Family, which follows the life of a family through the turbulent decades of Filipino history.

This year's sidebar programmes included a large retrospective of veteran Italian director Pupi Avati, including his recent hit A Heart Elsewhere (2003), as well as his well-known films, The House with Laughing Windows (1976), and Christmas Present (1986). There was also a significant focus on Vietnam with a tribute to Do Minh Tuan and Luu Trong Ninh. Fans of Southeast Asian film also got a good sense of how Vietnamese cinema has changed over the years.

Over the last 18 years, the Festival has established itself as a key feature in Singapore's annual Arts calendar with its growing prominence and appeal. Developed into a choice platform for filmmakers to showcase and garner recognition for their works-of-art, the Festival also acts as a catalyst for these filmmakers to continuously improve on their skills.

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