Singapore short films screened at Dili festival
The programme paired two music-themed films with a filmmaker discussion and a breakfast gathering for audiences in Timor-Leste.
Two independent films from Singapore were shown in Timor-Leste on 11 October 2026 as part of a programme organised by Singapore’s embassy at the Dili International Film Festival. The screenings were followed by a creative breakfast hosted by Singapore Ambassador Teo Lay Cheng.
Kew Lin’s 14-minute Captive Audience centres on a jazz saxophonist who discovers that zoo animals are receptive listeners. As his music attracts attention, he faces a choice between an industry that previously turned him away and an audience that values his work. Its premiere was at the Singapore International Film Festival in 2025.
Ong Kah Jing directed the other film, A Feeling of Music Playing. The 28-minute work records four musicians improvising together on different Asian instruments, exploring how people unfamiliar with one another can connect through music. Ong said he hoped the film would connect people of different cultures and nationalities.
The gathering included students, local musicians, cinema audiences and diplomats. Kaya butter toast was prepared live and served with Timorese coffee. Teo said attendance was close to capacity and that both films explored human experiences despite their different styles.
Shipping operators Pacific International Lines (PIL) and Mariana Express Lines (MEL) jointly sponsored a question-and-answer session with Ong. Stevenson Cheng, Owner Representative for PIL/MEL, said this was the companies’ first co-sponsorship of Singapore films at the festival.
