Singapore Mental Health Film Festival 2021 Brings Mental Health To The Forefront With Exciting Lineup of Films and Panel Discussions4 min read
Reading Time: 3 minutesBack for its second edition, the Singapore Mental Health Film Festival 2021 (SMHFF 2021) will present a holistic approach in its goal of advocating for constructive conversations on mental health.
Happening on 22 May – 30 May 2021, the festival will feature a hybrid format across physical screenings, online streaming and panel conversations, and physical workshops. Topics at SMHFF 2021 include: “COVID-19: Navigating the Demands of Change”, “Suicide Prevention”, and “Mental Health at the Workplace”.
Grab your tickets now at smhff.com/ticketing-info. Virtual Passes for the online conversations and their accompanying films can be bought on watch.smhff.com.
SMHFF Short Film Youth Competition (SFYC) 2021
This year’s competition saw over 450 youth participants and 70 short film entry submissions. The competition ran from December 2020 to February 2021, and had participants create a film on any of the five topics – cyberbullying and trauma, life transitions, young caregivers, recovery, and suicide prevention. Given the complexities of each topic, the participants were required to attend workshops by subject experts that included the Samaritans of Singapore and TOUCH Youth Intervention, before producing the film.
The Top 10 Finalists premiere will happen on May 8, 1.30pm on Facebook Live, where viewers can also vote for their favourite film. The winner of the Audience Choice Award will receive a cash prize of $1,000.
Additionally, there are two other awards, the Best Overall Film and Best Impact Film, with a cash prize of $3000 and $2000 respectively. All the award winners will be announced at the SMHFF Short Film Youth Competition 2021 Awards Ceremony, which will coincide with the SMHFF 2021 Opening Night.
The entire SMHFF 2021 Opening Night will be streamed on Facebook Live on 17 May 7:30pm from the National Gallery Singapore. Guest-of-Honour, Eric Chua, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth & Ministry of Social and Family Development will be present to speak about the importance of youth advocacy for mental health.
Festival programme
All physical screenings are held at National Gallery Singapore, Ngee Ann Kongsi Auditorium All online streaming is available on watch.smhff.com from 22 May to 30 May
Sorry We Missed You
Online streaming only
Accompanied by SMHFF SFYC 2021 (Best Overall Film)
Panel: COVID-19 And Navigating The Demands Of Change (Virtual)
The live panel conversation will be streamed on 26th May, 8.00pm
Land of Not Knowing
Online streaming only
Accompanied by short film We Are All Here
Panel: Suicide: Can Talk Or Not? (Virtual)
The live panel conversation will be streamed on 27 May, 8.00pm
Those Who Work
Online streaming only
Accompanied by short film Box Office Smash
Panel: Mental Health At The Workplace (Virtual)
The live panel conversation will be streamed on 28 May, 8.00pm
Happiness
Online streaming and physical screening (29 May, Saturday, 11:30am)
Accompanied by SMHFF SFYC 2021 (Best Impact Film)
Panel: Building A Dementia-Inclusive Society
The live panel conversation will be streamed on 29 May, 1.50pm
Little Tickles
Online streaming and physical screening (29 May, Saturday, 3:20pm)
Accompanied by short film Kaeru
Panel: The Shadow Of Childhood Trauma
The live panel conversation will be streamed on 29 May, 5.30pm
Freedom Writers
Physical screening only (29 May, Saturday, 7pm)
Accompanied by SMHFF SFYC 2020 (Runner-up Film) – Emit
Panel: COVID-19: A Pandemic Of Inequality
My Skinny Sister
Physical screening only (30 May, Sunday, 11:30am)
Accompanied by short film When Mirrors Had Meaning
Panel: How Eating Disorders Affect An Individual And Their Family
Guang
Physical screening only (30 May, Sunday 3:15pm)
Accompanied by short film Little Stars
Panel: Caregiving For Persons With Special Needs
Beautiful Boy
Physical screening only (30 May, Sunday, 7pm)
Accompanied by short film Skogafoss
Panel: Addiction Recovery: A Journey Beyond The Individual
Workshops
All workshops will be held at National Gallery Singapore, Seminar Room B
29 May, Saturday
| 10:00am – 12:00pm | Why Playfulness Matters For Our Wellbeing |
| 12:30pm – 1:30pm | Connection & Catharsis |
| 2:00pm – 3:30pm | Yin Yoga with Sound Healing |
| 4:00pm – 6:00pm | Moving through Difficulties of the Pandemic |
30 May, Sunday
| 10:00am – 11:00am | Release and Sweat It Out |
| 11:30am – 1:00pm | Mindfulness x Eating |
| 1:30pm – 4:00pm | Woven Tales & Metaphors: The Narrative of the Doll Maker |
| 4:30pm – 6:00pm | Movement Medicine |
