The new independent cinema
Programmed by Singapore Film Society
The new independent cinema
Programmed by Singapore Film Society
KING OF HAWKERS 小贩之王
Directed By Kelvin Sng | 120 Minutes
KING OF HAWKERS is a heartwarming Singapore feature film directed by Kelvin Sng that
celebrates Singapore's UNESCO-recognised hawker culture through a touching story about
family, resilience, heritage and community. First released in Singapore and Malaysia in
February 2024, the film follows a woman who returns to Singapore to protect her family's
hawker legacy from corporate forces threatening traditional hawker culture. Best Feature
Film (Times Torrent Section) winner at the Asian Art Film Awards 2025.
18 Sep: Join us for a Q&A with director Kelvin Sng after the screening
All tickets are subjected to availability and are for free seating.
We recommend arriving early to secure preferred seats.
PG13 (Some Sexual References) | Mandarin and some Cantonese with English and Chinese subtitles
Cast: Dawn Ho, Ryan Lian, Hugo Ng, Liu Lingling
Age limits apply for films rated
NC16, M18, or R21
THE STORY OF SOUTHERN ISLET 南巫
Directed By Chong Keat Aun | 105 Minutes
A wife finds herself thrown into a complicated world of spiritual confusion when her husband
is struck down by a mysterious illness he himself a ributes either to black magic or divine
wrath. Chong Keat Aun’s feature directorial debut is partly a treatise on the absurdity of
national borders but also one of cosmological ambiguity in which the acceptance of that which
cannot be explained provides the only hope of cure for those burdened by the sin of
transgressing against the gods. THE STORY OF SOUTHERN ISLET won the Golden Horse Best
New Director Award, as well as the FIPRESCI Prize at both the (2020) Golden Horse and (2021)
Hong Kong International Film Festivals. “Beau fully shot with a lingering ethereality, Chong’s
mystical tale places gods and demons amid the everyday while demonstrating the ebb and
flow of deeply held cultural beliefs in a border community where harmonious coexistence has
long been the norm.” -- Hayley Scanlon, Windows on Worlds
All tickets are subjected to availability and are for free seating.
We recommend arriving early to secure preferred seats.
PG | Hokkien, Malay, and some Mandarin with English subtitles
Cast: Jojo Goh, Season Chee, Pearlly Chua, Ling Tang
Age limits apply for films rated
NC16, M18, or R21
EARTHQUAKE
Directed By Mark Robson | 129 Minutes
When a major earthquake hits Los Angeles, the various residents of the city cope with the
chaos and destruction. Successful architect Stewart Graff argues with his demanding wife,
Remy Royce-Graff, as the disaster hits. Later, when he checks in on his flirtatious friend Denise
Marshall, they begin an affair. As the personal dramas continue, the city is threatened by
aftershocks and possibly even greater quakes. EARTHQUAKE set and defined new standards
for blockbuster disaster epics in the 1970s, and is noteworthy also for being the first feature
film to have been presented “in the startling new multi-dimension of Sensurround”. At the
time, the realistic effects that could be felt as well as heard, throughout the cinema auditorium,
brought a whole new meaning to ‘immersive viewing’. Originally released in Singapore at Rex
Theatre.
All tickets are subjected to availability and are for free seating.
We recommend arriving early to secure preferred seats.
PG | English with no subtitles
Cast: Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner, George Kennedy
Age limits apply for films rated
NC16, M18, or R21
THE VIOLINIST
Directed By Ervin Han & Raúl Garcia | 114 Minutes
THE VIOLINIST is a sweeping historical drama spanning 80 years, set against the backdrop of
Singapore and Malaya’s past. It tells a deeply moving story of hope, courage, and resilience,
highlighting the unbreakable bonds of friendship—united by the enduring power of music.
THE VIOLINIST marks Singapore’s first animated feature in nearly 15 years, and is the first in
Singapore’s animation history to compete at Annecy, winning the top prize (the Cristal Award
for Best Feature Film) this year. More than just a milestone in animation, this film is a landmark
in Singaporean cinema—an authentic local story brought to life through a truly international
collaboration. With a production team spanning Singapore, Spain, Italy, Japan, Taiwan, and
Canada, THE VIOLINIST is a testament to the global reach of Singaporean storytelling. The SFS
team would like to place on record our deepest appreciation to Ervin Han, Justin Deimen,
Leonard Lai, and their whole team, for creating this incredible film, and for giving SFS members
this exclusive opportunity to preview the film.
9 Sep: Join us for a live Tsugaru shamisen performance, together with a Q&A session after the screening
All tickets are subjected to availability and are for free seating.
We recommend arriving early to secure preferred seats.
PG (Some Violence) | English and some Japanese with English subtitles
Cast: Tan Kheng Hua, Adrian Pang, Ayden Sng, Kazuya Tanabe,
Fang Rong
Age limits apply for films rated
NC16, M18, or R21
THE HOPELESS 10 どうしようもない10人
Directed By Hiroyasu Kitagawa | 77 Minutes | Opens in Singapore at SFS SOMERSET on 6 September 2026
In a fractured future Japan, where the country has been divided among foreign powers, a
mysterious fortune known as the Double Million Dollars disappears from the hands of Yahei,
a feared underworld leader. When a stolen fortune is taken again by a female assassin,
Ageha, Yahei unleashes a motley crew of killers, swordsmen, monks and gunslingers to
recover it. As betrayals multiply, alliances collapse, and every assassin turns against the
others, the hunt leads them to the final gathering, where ten desperate people are forced to
face each other. Blending post-apocalyptic action, dark comedy, and a driving Shamisen
score, THE HOPELESS 10 is a wild tale of greed, survival, and the question of whether even
the most hopeless people deserve to live.
6 Sep: Special Somerset launch session with director Hiro-san in attendance! Features an Intro speech, a live Tsugaru Shamisen performance, and a Q&A.
All tickets are subjected to availability and are for free seating.
We recommend arriving early to secure preferred seats.
NC16 (Some Coarse Language and Violence) | Japanese with English subtitles
Cast: Shigefumi Fukuzawa, Momoka Tanimura,
Masanori Ikemura, Miwa Takasaka
Theme song sung by : Rina Aiuchi
Age limits apply for films rated
NC16, M18, or R21
MOJOKU HILANG!
Directed By Min Lim | 135 Minutes
At Moo Magic Dairy, Mojo the cow is more than just a mascot—she's a viral sensa on. But
when her the sparks a clash between the ruthless dairy conglomerate and the last village
of independent farmers, one ambi ous young execu ve finds himself torn between
corporate loyalty and rediscovering his roots.
Adi, once a village boy, traded his family's dairy farm for a shot at success in the big city. Now
tasked with going undercover to recover Mojo and persuade the farmers of Kampung
Semerah Padi to sell, he's pulled back into the world he abandoned. There, he reconnects
with the land, the people—-and with Ayu, а spirited young farmer fighting to save her
family's heritage.
As secrets of Adi's past unravel, he must choose between the empire he helped build and
the community that has come to believe in him. A heartfelt story of family, sacrifice, and
belonging, this film explores how the sweetest dreams are rooted in the soil we call home.
All tickets are subjected to availability and are for free seating.
We recommend arriving early to secure preferred seats.
PG | Malay, Indonesian, English with English, Chinese & Malay subtitles
Cast: Adipa Dolken, Mimi Lana, Wan Hanafi Su
Age limits apply for films rated
NC16, M18, or R21
PARIS, TEXAS
Directed By Wim Wenders | 148 Minutes
“Welcome to Paris, Texas. 40 years later. For many of you, it will be a reunion with Travis and Jane, and little Hunter. Others of you will see for the first time this archetypal American family and will, for the first time, go onto this journey deep into the American West, into the soul of America. The fact that this film became what it is, is also strictly because it had all these incredible collaborators. I wrote the script with one of the great masters of American theatre in the 20th century, Sam Shepard. He wrote the most amazing plays that are still played by young actors all over the world, as their first approach to the American language. He's a great writer of dialogue. He's a great connoisseur of the American West. The film was shot by Robby Müller, who really influenced a whole generation of cameramen after him. There is the music of Ry Cooder. Harry Dean Stanton was great in his first leading role. Nastassja Kinski was marvelous. I had the greatest help. I had the greatest assistant also any director could have had, Claire Denis. So... All of us were free as birds, and we made this film under the radar with nobody watching us. It won the Palme d'Or in Cannes in 1984, and now, 40 years later, many of you will see it again - hopefully - and many will see it for the first me. I wish you a great screening.” – From director Wim Wenders’ introduction to the 40th Anniversary restoration of PARIS, TEXAS
All tickets are subjected to availability and are for free seating.
We recommend arriving early to secure preferred seats.
PG | English with no subtitles
Cast: Harry Dean Stanton, Nastassja Kinski, Dean Stockwell
Age limits apply for films rated
NC16, M18, or R21
DISRUPTION with ASHES & SIGHS and TEMPLe crimes
Directed By Ian Dixon | 56 Minutes
DISRUPTION is a psychological thriller created with and alongside disabled filmmakers and performers. Rather than portraying disability as something to overcome, the film challenges society's obsession with "fixing" disability, asking audiences who truly benefits from the idea of being "normal." Developed through workshops with people with disabilities in Singapore, the film combines authentic lived experience with suspense, cinematic storytelling and social commentary.
DISRUPTION will be screened with two other films: ASHES & SIGHS, and TEMPLE CRIMES.
“DISRUPTION is not a film about disability—it is a film about prejudice. Working alongside
disabled writers and performers fundamentally shaped every stage of the production. Their lived experience became the foundation of the story, resulting in a thriller that questions society's obsession with perfection rather than disability itself. If audiences leave questioning those who profit from fear, vulnerability and the promise of impossible cures, then the film has achieved its purpose.” – Ian Dixon
All tickets are subjected to availability and are for free seating.
We recommend arriving early to secure preferred seats.
PG13 (Some Mature Content & Coarse Language)
Disruption (English subtitles)
Ashes & Sighs (Mandarin with English subtitles)
Temple Crimes (English subtitles)
Cast: Dorina Yee, Stephanie Esther Fan;
Karen Tan Bee Lin, Gurdev K. Sharma;
Tristan Pu Pang Kit, Mark Seow Wei Yuen
Age limits apply for films rated
NC16, M18, or R21
ITAM: A SUN BEAR STORy
Directed By Raymond Tan | 80 Minutes
Three years in the making, this remarkable documentary was filmed entirely in Sabah, Malaysia.
It follows the rehabilitation and release of a rescued sun bear named Itam. Developed in close
collaboration with the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, the production was granted rare
access to archival records, veterinary logs, field operations, and the complete rewilding process.
This access allows the film to move beyond surface observation into deeply-researched, character-driven storytelling. Combining immersive cinematic language with investigative scientific inquiry,
ITAM: A SUN BEAR STORY positions Southeast Asian conservation stories within global discourse.
His interest in cross-cultural identity and social issues shaped engineer-turned-filmmaker
Raymond Tan’s previous award-winning features, WAYANG BOY and THE WAYANG KIDS, which
respectively won Best Foreign Comedy Feature and Best Feature awards in the USA and Chile.
“This film is personal because it asks how we measure worth. In a world that often values scale
and speed, Itam asks us to slow down and see the dignity of one life. If we can care this much for
one bear, the compassion may not be that small after all.” – Director Raymond Tan
5 Sep: Intro speech + Q&A
All tickets are subjected to availability and are for free seating.
We recommend arriving early to secure preferred seats.
PG | English, Mandarin & Malay with English subtitles
Age limits apply for films rated
NC16, M18, or R21
THE OLD MAN AND HIS CAR 老破车
Directed by Michael Kam | 82 Minutes
A recently widowed old man finds himself confronted with the bittersweet task of parting with his cherished old car as he prepares to migrate to another country. He reluctantly embarks on a journey that forces him to confront his past, his profound sense of loss, and his enduring love. “Beyond being a narrative about letting go, the film delves into the themes of ageing and caregiving …..
I strive to infuse moments of levity throughout the narrative, and hopefully deliver a cinematic experience that resonates with audiences on multiple emotional levels.” – Director Michael Kam
All tickets are subjected to availability and are for free seating.
We recommend arriving early to secure preferred seats.
NC16 (Some Coarse Language) | English, Chinese, Hokkien & Malay with English subtitles
Cast: Lim Kay Tong, Richard Low,
Steven Woon, Sunny Pang
Age limits apply for films rated
NC16, M18, or R21
featured news articles
New film venue SFS Somerset to launch on Jan 1 at Cineleisure with The Old Man And His Car
New film venue SFS Somerset to launch on Jan 1 at Cineleisure with The Old Man And His Car
New film venue SFS Somerset to launch on Jan 1 at Cineleisure with The Old Man And His Car
The Straits Times
Strong appetite for film festivals and indie films in Singapore despite cinema closures
New film venue SFS Somerset to launch on Jan 1 at Cineleisure with The Old Man And His Car
New film venue SFS Somerset to launch on Jan 1 at Cineleisure with The Old Man And His Car
Channel News Asia
独立电影放映空间SFS Somerset元旦启用，本地电影《老破车》揭幕！
New film venue SFS Somerset to launch on Jan 1 at Cineleisure with The Old Man And His Car
新加坡電影協會 SFS Somerset 於 2026 年 1 月 1 日正式啟用 開幕影片：《老破車》
Vibes by 8World
新加坡電影協會 SFS Somerset 於 2026 年 1 月 1 日正式啟用 開幕影片：《老破車》
新加坡電影協會 SFS Somerset 於 2026 年 1 月 1 日正式啟用 開幕影片：《老破車》
新加坡電影協會 SFS Somerset 於 2026 年 1 月 1 日正式啟用 開幕影片：《老破車》
透視新加坡 - 除障破蒙 看清新加坡
#新闻聊开来：新影厅为独立电影带来新机遇
新加坡電影協會 SFS Somerset 於 2026 年 1 月 1 日正式啟用 開幕影片：《老破車》
#新闻聊开来：新影厅为独立电影带来新机遇
Mediacorp CAPITAL 958 城市频道