Things To Do In Singapore: A New Film Festival Debuts & More
Published on March 18, 2024
By Keng Yang Shuen
Stories and narratives from the Arabic region are seldom heard in Singapore, but the new JISR Film Festival – Arabic for “bridge” – is looking to improve that situation, using cinema as a way to ahem, build bridges. More details on that below.
The inaugural JISR Film Festival is set to showcase multiple stories originating from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – a region which comprises of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman. Named after the Arabic word for “bridge,” it aims to bridge cultures through cinema, fostering connection and breaking stereotypes. There are six films on the line-up ranging from short films to documentaries, exploring a variety of themes such as sustainability, animation, sports, and female empowerment. Notable highlights include films like Nayla Al-Khaja’s documentary Road to Fulfillment Mansour Al Dhaheri’s Swim 62, and the action anime The Journey.
The festival also celebrates women filmmakers with works like Shahad Ameen’s Scales and Maysaa Al-Mumin’s ..and I Was Left Behind. Additionally, the festival will be premiering the critically-acclaimed action film How I Got There – helmed by acclaimed filmmaker Dr. Zeyad Al Husainy and featuring a stellar cast led by Ron Perlman (known for his role in “Hellboy”), this thriller follows the journey of two young Kuwaitis as they navigate through the dangerous underworld of gun traffickers, terrorists, and local gangsters. The film earned the prestigious Audience Award for Best Film at the 2022 Red Sea International Film Festival.