Here’s a bit of slightly late news. I was too busy yesterday scrambling for what’s going to be Singapore’s biggest arts news of the year. No, make that the biggest arts news of this month. No, wait, the biggest arts news of the week. After Fendy’s new Substation gig that is. Ah, nehmind. You can read it tomorrow la. So yes, yesterday was the press conference for the first ever Singapore Short Film Awards. It’s a joint effort by Objectifs Centre for Photography and Filmmaking and The Substation to give props to Singapore’s short filmmakers. As in the form ya, not in terms of height. Seeing as the organisers of the Singapore International Film Festival have said they’ll be putting the Singapore Film Awards on hold this year, this could well be the highlight in the local film scene in 2010. Organisers said they received 133 entries, out of which 33 shorts are in the running for the categories: best director, animation, fiction, documentary, cinematography, editing, script, art direction, soundtrack, performance, onscreen kiss. Okay I made that last one up. I’ve been tapped to be one of the judges for reasons unknown to me (must be the glasses). I’m not complaining of course, seeing as how I’ll be watching what’s supposedly the cream of the crop of Singapore shorts for two straight days. The other judges are film-makers Jasmine Ng, Victric Thng and Liew Seng Tat of Malaysia, and the National Museum’s Warren Sin. One award that’s already been decided is the Honorary Award. Royston Tan will be getting it “for outstanding contribution to the film community through short films”. Like, duh. Anyway, the screenings will be from Jan 29 to 31, with the awards ceremony on the 31st, at The Substation Theatre. More details here. PS, RIP Goh Poh Seng.