SINGAPORE — After a two-year hiatus, the Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) will return next year for its 25th edition.

This was announced by Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim at the Asia TV Forum and Market (ATF) and ScreenSingapore yesterday, where he revealed that the festival will be held together with the ATF, ScreenSingapore and the Asian Television Awards at the end of next year under one umbrella event.

The two-week event will be facilitated by the Media Development Authority (MDA) and organisers aim to make it one of the top film and television markets in Asia.

Launched in 1987, the film festival went on hiatus after the 2011 edition, a run that was marred by complaints of poor organisation from festival-goers and reports of financial woes and a lack of sponsorship.

TODAY understands that its founder Geoffrey Malone has resigned as Chairman of the Board of Directors and has handed over the festival to the new board, chaired by Ms Shaw Soo Wei, former Executive Director of the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society. Other board members include Mr Mike Wiluan, Chief Executive Officer of Infinite Studios and Mr Michael Lim, Assistant Director for Animation and Digital Arts at NYU Tisch School of the Arts Asia.

Mr Wiluan acknowledged yesterday that the festival has had “its ups and downs”. “I think with any festival, the biggest issue is funding, sustainability, market size and relevance. So we’re taking all this into consideration. And how ... to create a new festival (that will) have more relevance to the local industry,” he said.

“We need to support the local industry. We can’t have a festival where (people) ask ‘Why are they doing this?’ and ‘Why are they not involving me?’ ... So what’s going to be different is, we’re going to engage on a grassroots level.”

Award-winning film producer, curator and arts manager Yuni Hadi has been appointed as Festival Director. She co-produced the film Ilo Ilo, and was formerly Co-Director for the festival’s 21st edition.

“The festival will keep its Asian focus and we want to bring back and maintain the quality programming that we’ve always been known for,” she said. “Also, with the recent success of Ilo Ilo, I feel that this is a great time to celebrate Singapore film.”

The Silver Screen Awards, which celebrates Asian film-makers, will also be revived, while a collection of 50 to 80 films of various genres, with a specific focus on South-east Asia, will be screened at local cinemas, outdoors and at exhibitions, as well as online.

Ms Shaw noted that the SGIFF will, for the first time, have a market through its co-location with ScreenSingapore, offering film-makers greater distribution, financing and networking opportunities. While films are now easily accessible to viewers at home, the festival will also allow film-lovers the chance to interact with film-makers and other creative talent.

Mr Yeo Chun Cheng, MDA Assistant Chief Executive (Industry) and Executive Director (Interactive Digital Media Programme Office) said that, while the four events have been brought together under one umbrella — whose name has yet to be decided — each will run separately and have its own strengths.

“And we don’t want it to be such a fusion event that nobody knows exactly what it is,” he added.