Singapore’s cultural calendar continues to expand with the launch of Objectifs Short Film Festival 2026, a new event dedicated to showcasing short films. Running from October 22 to 31, the festival operates alongside the 37th Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF), offering cinephiles varied programming across multiple venues.
The festival opens with "Hypnotic Bursts," a collection of short films by French directors Caroline Poggi and Jonathan Vinel. The duo is recognized for their innovative approach, combining cinema with digital art, video game aesthetics, and commentary on political and social themes.
One of the festival’s highlights is "Image & Memory: Early Works Of Hirokazu Kore-eda," a Sunday afternoon screening featuring early short films from the acclaimed Japanese director. Kore-eda, best known internationally for his Palme d’Or-winning film "Shoplifters" (2018), will be honored with SGIFF’s Cinema Honorary Award in 2026 and is scheduled to participate in a post-screening discussion.
The festival concludes with a film-themed edition of Objectifs’ Saturday programme, which includes a flea market, open studio sessions with artists-in-residence such as Alia Alkaff, Jun!yi Min, and Lizzie Wee, alongside various workshops. Admission to individual screenings is priced at $10, with a festival pass available for $40.
In addition to the festival, several other arts events are currently underway in Singapore. At the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), the exhibition "Worlds In Motion: People, Ideas, Objects in South-East Asian Art" runs until December 6. Featuring artists from across the region—including Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Myanmar—the exhibition explores art through sensory experiences involving sight, sound, touch, and taste. Malaysian contemporary artist Ivan Lam’s "Blind Side" series, created in collaboration with the Malaysian Association for the Blind, invites visitors to experience color through tactile means. Also on display is Thai artist Atithep Chaetnalao’s "Ethics Cultural Art Toy," a series of eight figurines that reinterpret cultural traditions such as the Hungry Ghost Festival with a contemporary, collectible aesthetic.
Meanwhile, environmental themes take center stage at the upcoming concert "Life On Land’s Edge," presented by The Bowerbird Collective at Victoria Concert Hall on October 22. The 60-minute performance combines visual art, immersive soundscapes, and music performed by Australian violinist and vocalist Simone Slattery and cellist Anthony Albrecht. The program incorporates compositions by Philip Glass, Antonio Vivaldi, and Dai Fujikura alongside original commissions by BirdLife Australia. The concert, which marks The Bowerbird Collective’s Asia debut, highlights the migratory journeys of birds and their ecological significance amid increasing habitat loss. A brief audience question-and-answer session will follow the performance, with tickets starting at $40.
These diverse cultural offerings reflect Singapore’s growing support for independent and experimental art forms, reinforcing its position as a dynamic hub for regional and international artistic exchange.