(top, from left to right) Shekhar Kapur, Koji Yakusho, Atsuko Hirayanagi
(bottom, from left to right) Clara Law, Christopher Doyle, Anup Singh

Marina Bay Sands will be the go-to destination for red carpet events and a hotbed for film insider discussions during this year’s Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF), as the integrated resort hosts movie premieres, talks and masterclasses with filmmakers, producers and actors in attendance from November 23 to December 3.

Legendary cinematographer of In the Mood for Love (2000) and 2046 (2004) Christopher Doyle, revered Japanese actor Koji Yakusho of hit films Shall We Dance (1996) and Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) as well as filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, who directed the multiple Academy Award-nominated film Elizabeth (1998) and its sequel, Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007) are among the list of Festival guests attending SGIFF events held at Marina Bay Sands. In addition to Koji Yakusho, the Festival will also see some of the biggest names in Japanese cinema over the 11 days, including veteran actress Shinobu Terajima, who is also the female lead of SGIFF Special Presentation film Oh Lucy!, actor-director Takumi Saitoh who will be presenting his first directed feature film Blank 13, and actor Joe Odagiri, the male lead for SGIFF Special Presentation film The White Girl.

Marina Bay Sands has also invited its Sands Global Ambassador, David Beckham, to attend the SGIFF Benefit Dinner on November 25 at Sands Expo and Convention Centre.

This year’s ArtScience on Screen: In Conversation speakers include award-winning film director and producer Shekhar Kapur; Koji Yakusho; The Song of Scorpions’ film director Anup Singh and cast Waheeda Rehman; The White Girl director, co-director and cast Jenny Suen, Christopher Doyle, Angela Yuen, Joe Odagiri and Tony Wu; Oh Lucy! director Atsuko Hiranayagi and cast Shinobu Terajima; Hong Kong film director Clara Law; and producer Philip Lee, who has worked on critically acclaimed films such as Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Zhang Yimou’s Hero.

In Conversation: The director and cast of The Song of Scorpions
Friday, 24 November, 3pm-4pm

In Conversation: The director and cast of The White Girl
Tuesday, 28 November, 3pm-4pm

In Conversation: Hong Kong film director Clara Law
Wednesday, 29 November, 7pm-8pm

In Conversation: The director and cast of Oh Lucy!
Thursday, 30 November, 3pm-4pm

In Conversation: Filmmaker Philip Lee
Friday, 1 December, 7pm-8pm

Masterclass with Shekhar Kapur
Saturday, 2 December, 2pm-3pm

In Conversation: Cinema Legend award recipient Koji Yakusho
Saturday, 2 December, 5.30pm-6.30pm

All seven talks will be held at ArtScience Museum, level 4, and are open to members of the public. Admission is free but participants will have to register via sgiff2017.peatix.com and place an S$5 refundable deposit to secure a seat at each session. Beyond these dialogue sessions, the celebrities will be attending various SGIFF red carpet events held at Marina Bay Sands.

Red carpet events that are open to the public:

23 Nov:
SGIFF Opening Film; Angels Wear White (China)
Venue: Grand Theatre Foyer, 7pm
Celebrities in attendance: The film’s director Vivian Qu and cast Zhou Mei Jun; Anup Singh, and Waheeda Rehman; and Japanese filmmaker Daisuke Miyazaki

24 Nov:
SGIFF Special Presentation Film 1; The Song of Scorpions (Switzerland/France/China)
Venue: Grand Theatre Foyer, 7pm
Celebrities in attendance: The film’s director Anup Singh and cast Waheeda Rehman.

25 Nov:
SGIFF Benefit Dinner
Venue: Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Hall A, 6.45pm
Celebrities in attendance: David Beckham, Anup Singh, Waheeda Rehman, Vietnamese-born French film director Tran Anh Hung, Jenny Suen, Christopher Doyle, upcoming Star Wars: The Last Jedi cast Kelly Marie Tran, and Japanese actor, model and singer Takumi Saitoh.

30 Nov:
SGIFF Special Presentation Film 3 Oh Lucy!
Venue: Grand Theatre Foyer, 7pm
Celebrities in attendance: The film’s director Atsuko Hiranayagi and cast Shinobu Terajima

2 Dec:
Silver Screen Awards
Venue: Sands Theatre Foyer, 6.45pm
Celebrities in attendance: Koji Yakusho, award-winning Indonesian director and Honorary Award recipient Garin Nugroho, Asian Feature Film Competition jury members Shekhar Kapur, Clara Law, Ana Lily Amipour and Mark Peranson, and Southeast Asian Short Film Competition jury members Kenji Ishizaka, K. Rajagopal and Marsha Timothy