A brief history of national cinema
In 1904, Frenchman Paul Picard opened the country's first cinema, the Paris Cinematograph. Located at 320 Victoria Street, the cinema showed newsreels and international films, before the arrival of the first local productions. It was also a Frenchman, Gaston Méliès, brother of the well-known Georges Méliès, who first brought Singapore to the screen. In 1913, he made a stopover in the region and captured many moments of local daily life. Although the four films Méliès shot in Singapore have unfortunately disappeared, we do know that the Jamae Mosque and the splendid Sri Mariamman temple were already featured.
In the 1920s, cinema developed in Singapore. The number of cinemas expanded, and legendary venues such as the 1,700-seat Capitol Theatre and Cathay Cineplex opened their doors. Here, Malay, Chinese and Western films shot on location with local actors can now be seen. A real industry was developing, which picked up again after the Second World War. Local studios, the main one of which was founded in 1924 by the brothers Runme and Run Run Shaw, produced dozens of films employing Chinese, Malay and Indian technicians. And while few of these productions have reached your ears, they have nonetheless been great local and regional successes, many of which can now be seen online. Seruan Merdeka ou l'Appel de la Liberté (1947) is one of them. Directed by Badar Singh Rajhans and featuring a cast of many bangsawan stars, it portrayed the fighters of the Malayan resistance and was a public success. It was distributed in India and Southeast Asia. This success led to the independent filmmaker being recruited by the Shaw brothers the same year. At the same time, horror cinema was also on the rise, with such notable successes as Sumpah Pontianak or The Curse of Pontianak (1958). Inspired by Malaysian vampire legends, the film won over Singapore's diverse audiences with its simple yet powerful story and dialogue. A nugget worth rediscovering, if only for its crisp special effects.
In the 1960s, following Malaysia's independence and Singapore's independence in 1965, the film industry found itself in turmoil. Malaysian production retreated into its own territory, and Singaporean studios struggled to establish a steady production rhythm, due to a lack of institutional support. A few films managed to stand out from the crowd, and we can only recommend Cleopatra the Kung Fu Panther (1978), a surprising cross between James Bond and martial arts films. After a gap in the 1980s, the 1990s saw the appearance of the very first all-Singapore films. Eric Khoo, born in Singapore in 1965, directed his first feature film, Mee Pok Man (1995). Narrating the encounter between a lonely noodle vendor and a prostitute, this independent film made the rounds of international festivals, launching a revival in domestic production. eric Khoo's next film, 12 Storeys, was selected at Cannes.
Since then, local production has gone from strength to strength, supported by the Singapore Film Commission, founded in 1998. Comedies written and directed by filmmaker Jack Neo, such as Money No Enough (1998), are a great success, while young filmmakers are revisiting horror and drama. In 2013, Anthony Chen's Ilo Ilo was awarded the Caméra d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, proof of the revival of Singapore's film industry.
When Hollywood comes to Singapore
French, Italians, Europeans and Americans have always been fascinated by the exoticism of Singapore. With its unmistakable skyline and lush landscapes, it's only natural that the cinema should still invite itself there today. Jon M. Chu's Crazy Rich Asians (2018) is largely set in Singapore. It's easy to recognize the structures of the Gardens by the Bay, the sleek lines of the Marina Bay Sands, but also the beautiful facade of the Raffles Hotel, and the Chijmes Chapel, where the marriage of the two protagonists Colin Khoo and Araminta Lee is celebrated. An impressive box-office success, this funny and endearing comedy will put you in the perfect frame of mind to make the most of your stay.
If you're more of a series fan, you should know that season 3 of Westworld was also partly filmed in Singapore: it features the island of Pulau Ubin, the Helix Bridge, the Lasalle College of Arts, the ParkRoyal Collection Pickering Hotel and Chinatown Food Street as backdrops.
The trend continues with more recent productions such as Last Shadow at First Light (2023). On the series front, Decalcomania blends Bangkok and Singapore in a supernatural thriller where characters swap souls, with several well-known Singaporean actors in the cast. Finally, the Sleep No More project, a fantasy-horror film in international co-production (Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, Germany), illustrates the city-state's growing role in major global film projects.
Seeing movies in Singapore
With more than 270 screens and cinemas to suit all tastes, you won't know where to turn as Singapore's cinematic landscape is so rich. If you're looking for a pure blockbuster experience, head to the Shaw Lido. With its IMAX screen, comfortable seats and immersive technology, you'll be plunged into the heart of Hollywood's greatest films. And for a more intimate experience, or to discover more independent cinema, head to The Projector, an art house specialist where you can also enjoy local beers and surprising snacks. Finally, check the dates of your stay. Who knows, maybe you'll stumble across the red carpets of the Singapore International Film Festival? Since 1987, this event has been welcoming thousands of film buffs, and promises some great discoveries. It's the perfect gateway for any film buff visiting Singapore.
