Moving Images (1997—2016)

“Substation showed Moving House (1997 version), my first film, in 1997. The film was programmed by Audrey Wong and it was screening together with a few other international documentaries, one of which was by a Korean american director about Comfort women. I remember feeling very happy that someone thought that this homemade film was worthy of showing to the public, a documentary at that, given that documentaries weren't always on people's radar. At that time I can't remember if the programme was called Moving Images. The opportunities for screening work is so different now with a plethora of platforms on and off line, but at that time, it was an important landmark for me, in my journey as a filmmaker.” 

– Tan Pin Pin, Filmmaker

“I started working at The Substation in 1999. Those who came for the Moving Images programme then may recall seeing me tearing tickets and giving out photocopied programme flyers at the front-of-house, closing the door, running to the stage to introduce the programme, and then tip-toe-ing in the dark to the control room to play the VHS tapes. Lucky for me the "digital revolution" was around the corner and soon mini-DV tapes were introduced and we soon had "multiple" formats to play around with. Even though I was literally making my own tickets (photocopy and tear) and designing primitive flyers (photocopy and sometimes go to print if we had money), there was great energy and curiousity amongst the filmmakers and the audience. These were the people that made up our film community.

Because I had to be really resourceful, I reached out to many organisations I thought may be interested in other film cultures. I had no idea if they were interested in Singapore film but I offered an exchange programme, and as a cultural institute with a great history, The Substation was the perfect place for me to do not only film screenings but discussions and forums to create a deeper sense of understanding of what we were watching. I really wanted our film community to be connected to other film communities around the world. It doesn't sound like much now but this was a time before Youtube, Vimeo or Facebook was ever around. 

– Yuni Hadi, Moving Images Programmer 1999 - 2005

First Take

One of The Substation Moving Images' most distinctive programmes, First Take was a showcase of the newest and most promising short films by upcoming film directors based in Singapore. Filmmakers whose works are selected had a platform to showcase their works and participate in a Q&A following the screening. This was where you would discover the directors to watch out for.

The Moving Images programme would look for short films (< 30 mins) to be considered for First Take. All genres are accepted, and films are accepted from Singaporeans, Permanent Residents and/or other filmmakers currently based in Singapore. Entries were accepted throughout the year!

Screenings were usually held on every 1st Monday of the month. The last First Take was held on 1 February 2016. It was the last Moving Images event at The Substation.

Singapore Short Film Awards

The Singapore Short Film Awards honours the best of Singapore short film from all genres by first time filmmakers to professional veterans. It is an annual celebration of Singapore short films, and welcomes submissions of films made in the preceding year. It is the first event of its kind in Singapore, and has been co-organised with Objectifs Centre for Photography and Film, since 2010.

The Singapore Short Film Awards had its last iteration in 2015, its 6th edition.

Singapore Indie Doc Fest

The Singapore Indie Doc Fest was started in 2006 with the aim of showcasing independent documentaries that give voice to current issues. The festival is the first of its kind in Singapore, and its programme reflects a mix of international and locally made documentary shorts and features.

Experimental Film Forum

The Experimental Film Forum was started in 2010, and is a platform for local and international films that push the boundaries of storytelling, concept building and technical imagery. These on-screen experiments in light, sound and image, have the potential to reach wondrous, unexpected results that hopefully contribute towards our understanding of cinema.