MDA to launch Singapore Media Festival in December

Four film and TV events combined.

Come this December, trade visitors and members of the public can expect a bigger and better film and TV event in Singapore, called the Singapore Media Festival, as announced by the Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA).

The annual Singapore Media Festival is set to become one of Asia’s leading international media events. This year, it will run from 4 to 14 December 2014. The Singapore Media Festival brings together four complementary film and TV events – a trade market for film and TV, conferences, awards and festival screenings under a single umbrella.

For 2014, these will be held as follows: Singapore International Film Festival (4 – 14 December 2014), Asian Television Awards (11 December 2014), Asia TV Forum & Market (9 – 12 December 2014), and ScreenSingapore (9 – 12 December 2014).

The Singapore Media Festival is hosted by the Media Development Authority of Singapore, and organized by Reed Exhibitions, Contineo Media and SGIFF Ltd.

Angeline Poh, Assistant Chief Executive (Industry), Media Development Authority, said, “The Singapore Media Festival is set to be a seamless, must-attend media event where international participants gather to discover the latest trends, talents and content in Asia, making Singapore the choice destination for those in Asia’s media business. With this event, everyone from industry players to public audiences will have something to look forward to. The Singapore Media Festival, with its umbrella of four signature events, can only become bigger and better in the years to come”.

Here's a description of Singapore Media Festival's four film and TV events:

Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF), 4-14 December. This festival aims to bring quality films from around the world to the masses, and recognise the best films in Singapore and Asia. Founded in 1987 and into its 25th edition this year, SGIFF has become an iconic event in Singapore that is widely attended by international film critics, academics, industry practitioners, and general consumers. It is recognised worldwide for its focus on Asian filmmakers and promotion of Southeast Asian films, and is a one-stop location for film programmers and producers to discover filmmaking talent and trends.

SGIFF adds a public component to the Singapore Media Festival, bringing over 70 titles of top-notch international films to be screened across Singapore. It will also have an awards component to recognise film talents in Singapore and Asia with the Silver Screen awards.

"The Singapore International Film Festival being the longest-running and largest film festival in Singapore has always captured the hearts of filmmakers, creative professionals and film enthusiasts here. The co-location of the TV and film market with our Festival offers a new dimension for us which we hope will translate to benefits for the Singapore film industry”, said Ms. Yuni Hadi, Executive Director of the SGIFF Ltd.

Asian Television Awards (ATA), 11 December. Celebrating the best in Asian TV content; new revised digital category, webcasters to compete. Another component of the Singapore Media Festival is the ATA, one of Asia’s premier awards event that recognises the achievements of talent in Asia’s TV industry. It has grown since its establishment in 1996, and has been consistently receiving more than 1000 entries annually from across the region. This year, ATA will be introducing a new awards category in keeping with the digital trend, allowing webcasters to compete in the awards for the first time.

Raymond Wong, CEO of Contineo Media Pte Ltd and Chairman of the Asian Television Awards (ATA), is pleased that the ATA will be part of the Singapore Media Festival, "Every December, Singapore becomes a hotbed for the distribution of content and the exchange of ideas; and with both ScreenSingapore and SGIFF exhibiting quality films; it leaves ATA the distinct honour of celebrating the best of television in Asia. The ATA is a celebrated industry event that recognises excellence in programming, production and performance, and received well over 1,200 entries from across 14 countries last year. This year, with our targeted second regional broadcast, we endeavour to unite Asia-Pacific to collectively witness the wins of each territory’s home-grown talent from the comfort of living rooms big and small,” says Wong.

On ATA’s new digital category this year, Wong said, “This will be the first time that original TV content premiering on online platforms can compete at the awards; a reflection of the burgeoning demand for digital content fuelled by the proliferation of OTT and VOD services across the region.”

Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF) and ScreenSingapore , 9-12 December. An integrated film and TV market to bring greater business and networking opportunities The third and fourth components of the Singapore Media Festival are ATF and ScreenSingapore, which will bring a seamless international trade market for film and TV as well as conferences and masterclasses under the event. ATF and ScreenSingapore were co-located in 2012 to bring greater synergies between film and TV content, and will return thisyear with even more opportunities for local and global media players to meet and exchange ideas.

Michelle Lim, Managing Director, Reed Exhibitions Singapore, said, “Asia Television Forum & Market and ScreenSingapore (ATF & SS) is honoured to be part of the inaugural Singapore Media Festival. With the increased accessibility of entertainment content across different platforms, this integration of media and entertainment events under one umbrella will certainly bring more value and benefits for the trade industry. As a leading international entertainment content market in Asia, ATF & SS 2014 looks to provide industry players with a solid platform for networking and knowledge exchange, drawing in a myriad of entertainment content by international and regional sellers, while attracting buyers from the region.”