JFF2023

Closing

Pokka Coffee Short Film Competition: Award Ceremony

Pokka Coffee Short Film Competition (Pokka Coffee SFC) is a specially curated event to celebrate Japanese

Film Festival 2023’s 40th anniversary in Singapore.

Japanese Film Festival 2023 (official opening night falls on 5 October 2023), co-organised by Japan Creative Centre (Embassy of Japan in Singapore) & Singapore Film Society and supported by Japan Foundation, which is one of the oldest annual film festival (since year 1983) in Singapore. This year we continue to showcase worldclass Japanese movies for Japanese film & culture lovers and through film as art & entertainment to strengthen the understanding, friendship & collaboration between Singapore and Japan.

This event is sponsored by Pokka Singapore (also one of the co-organisers) to highlight Power of a Pause (https://pokkacoffeepause.com/) as part of Pokka Coffee’s “Let’s Pause, let’s Pokka” campaign. The act of drinking coffee is simple and can be a powerful form of mental recharge, empowering individuals to unlock their full potential and embrace a more mindful and purposeful lifestyle. Against the backdrop of a growing emphasis on mindfulness and wellness, the act of taking a pause – when you need it – grants us momentary solitude and privacy with our thoughts to find clarity in the chaos that we encounter every day.

Pokka Coffee SFC serves as a platform for emerging filmmakers (both professionals & amateurs) to showcase their ideas/work, promote creativity and diversity, engage audiences and contribute to the growth of the filmmaking industry in Singapore.

Film submissions will be judged by an esteemed jury panel with years of experience in this industry and also a special mention award by audiences' popular votes.

Esteemed Jury Panel



Lim Kah Wai is a Malaysian film director based in Osaka, Japan. He is best known for his work on the films Magic and Loss, Fly Me to Minami and No Where, Now Here.

His film Your Lovely Smile (2002) was featured recently during the Japanese Film Festival 2023 in Singapore, in conjunction with a director masterclass on Independant Filmmaking Journey in Japan.

"If I could summarise the theme of my films, they are always about identity and communication, but this kind of identity and communication is not only limited to the personal aspect but also relates to countries, languages and cultures." - Lim Kah Wai

Agnes Goh is a bilingual actress from Singapore. She is passionate about telling deeper stories that could empower, inspire and resonate with people.

Her works include trauma-themed film Return the Night, interracial-themed film Linda, award-wining sci-fi film After Life and action film Bullet for Vengeance which earned her 'Best Supporting Actress' in the Golden Reel International Film Festival 2023 (Massachusetts, USA).

"Film taught me love, gratitude and courage. I fell in love with films at the age of 16, when I was going through the toughest moment in life. After I recovered, physically and emotionallhy, I knew I wanted to be that person who could give others strength." - Agnes Goh

Tzang Merwyn TONG is a Singaporean independent filmmaker known for offbeat films set in surreal worlds. His films include Faeryville (2015), V1K1 (Gold Remi Award at Houston WorldFest 2011), A Wicked Tale (World Premiere at Rotterdam International Film Festival 2005) and e'Tzaintes (Opening Night Film at Berlin Asia Pacific Film Festival 2003).

A graduate of the 2005 Berlin Talent Campus, Tzang's works have traveled to critical acclaim and full house crowds in film festivals in Rotterdam, Montreal, Berlin, Potsdam, Munich, Tel Aviv, Lund and Leeds. His works were featured in publications like Res, Cinependent, Montreal Mirror, Fangoria and Rue Morgue.

Tzang is a former journalist/film critic for FiRST in SPH Magazines. He has also worked as an advertising copywriter and consultant in creative agencies. He is currently a Lecturer teaching Visual Storytelling in Republic Polytechnic.

Special Mention Award (Short Film) by Audiences' Votes

(Ends at 15 Dec 2023, 12noon )

Award Ceremony Schedule

Date: 20 Dec 2023 (Wed)

Time: 1:00 - 3:00pm

Venue: Auditorium (3F) @ The Japanese Association, Singapore

- Free admission with registration. Door opens at 12:30noon on event date.

- Please take note that restaurants at Japanese Association Singapore are not open to non-members

- Click here for information of getting access to The Japanese Association (including shutter bus schedule)