Posted by Larry Gleeson

By Genevieve Sarah Loh

SINGAPORE: Malaysian superstar Michelle Yeoh was one of the biggest names gracing the red carpet at the opening of this year’s Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) on Wednesday (Nov 23). The event flags off the 27th edition of Southeast Asia’s longest-running international film platform.

The recipient of SGIFF’s first-ever Cinema Legend Award last year, Yeoh is the guest-of-honour and will be joined by the likes of homegrown filmmakers Royston Tan and Eric Khoo, as well as local celebrities Felicia Chin, Ian Fang, Suhaimi Yusof, Lim Yu-Beng and Adele Wong.

While Yeoh has reportedly joined the cast of the upcoming Star Trek: Discovery series, she kept mum about details when asked on Wednesday night. “We all grew up (in) the Star Trek generation, so of course I am a big fan,” she said.

Local celebrities Felicia Chin and Ian Fang at the opening of the Singapore International Film Festival. (Photo: Shawn Lim)

Homegrown filmmaker Royston Tan at the opening of this year’s Singapore International Film Festival. (Photo: Shawn Lim)

The region’s film glitterati have also descended on Singapore shores for SGIFF. Indonesian star Nicolas Saputra will be gracing the carpet alongside his Malaysian director Dain Iskandar Said and castmates Nandita Solomon, Iedil Putra, Prisia Nasution, Nadiya Nisaa, Alvin Wong and Chew Kin-wah. Their film Interchange, a fantasy noir supernatural thriller, is the opening film of this year’s SGIFF.

SGIFF 2015 Best Singapore Short Film recipient Gladys Ng. (Photo: Shawn Lim)

Vietnamese-born French filmmaker Tran Anh Hung will also be on the carpet. Renowned for breaking through with his first film The Scent of Green Papaya, his second film Cyclo won him the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 1995, making him one of the youngest filmmakers to be honoured at the festival at the age of 33.

Several international stars will also be gracing various SGIFF red carpets this year, including Oscar-nominated director Darren Aronofsky and Hollywood star James Marsden who are walking the red carpet on Saturday for the SGIFF benefit dinner.

(Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com)