The long read · Singapore cinema
From Jalan Ampas to Cannes: Singapore Cinema and Its Global Stars
In the 1950s Singapore was the film capital of the Malay world; forty years later a new generation put the city on the festival map. Here is the story of Singapore cinema, and where to watch it.
Updated October 2026
From the Malay studios to the new wave
After the war, the Shaw brothers’ Malay Film Productions at 8 Jalan Ampas and its rival, Cathay-Keris, made Singapore the heart of Malay-language cinema. Their great star was P. Ramlee, singer, actor and director, who made 42 films as an actor and directed 16 at Jalan Ampas before moving to Kuala Lumpur in 1964. The studio closed in 1967.
A revival came in the 1990s. Eric Khoo’s Mee Pok Man (1995) and 12 Storeys, the first Singapore film invited to Cannes in 1997, showed the city’s hidden lives; Jack Neo’s comedy Money No Enough filled cinemas; and in 2013 Anthony Chen’s Ilo Ilo, the story of a family and its Filipina helper, won the Caméra d’Or, Singapore’s first prize at Cannes.
Must-watch films
To understand Singapore cinema, start with these.
- The P. Ramlee classics of the 1950s and early 1960s, the musicals and comedies the whole region still loves.
- Mee Pok Man (1995): Eric Khoo’s first feature, a bleak, tender love story.
- 12 Storeys (1997): Khoo’s portrait of a public housing block, shown at Cannes.
- Money No Enough (1998): Jack Neo’s Singlish comedy, a box-office record in its day.
- Ilo Ilo (2013): Anthony Chen’s family drama, winner of the Caméra d’Or.
The stars
Singapore’s screen names, then and now.
- P. Ramlee (1929–1973): the singer, actor and director whose films defined Malay cinema.
- Fann Wong: the star who went from Singapore television to Shanghai Knights with Jackie Chan.
- Jack Neo: comedian and director of the city’s best-loved popular films.
- Eric Khoo and Anthony Chen: the directors who took Singapore to Cannes.
Where to watch in Singapore
The Capitol Theatre on Stamford Road opened as a cinema on 22 May 1930 with the musical Rio Rita and, restored, is again a grand venue for film and performance. The Singapore International Film Festival, first held in 1987, brings Asian and world cinema to the city, and the malls have some of the most comfortable cinemas in the region.
Our advice: see a festival film, then eat at a hawker centre, the most Singaporean of film sets.
Capitol Theatre Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay
Hidden on the silver screen: international productions filmed in Singapore
Singapore’s streets and skyline have starred in films from the 1970s to today.
- Saint Jack (1979): Peter Bogdanovich filmed Paul Theroux’s novel, with Ben Gazzara, on location in Singapore.
- Crazy Rich Asians (2018): Newton Food Centre, Gardens by the Bay and the Marina Bay Sands pool all play their part.
Singapore and the world
Singapore talent now works across Asia and beyond: Anthony Chen has made films in Singapore and China, Fann Wong starred opposite Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson, and Singapore’s studios and skyline host international productions. Crazy Rich Asians, filmed in the city, became a worldwide hit in 2018.
Questions and answers
Which Singapore film has won at Cannes?
Anthony Chen’s Ilo Ilo won the Caméra d’Or for the best first feature in 2013, Singapore’s first prize at the festival.
Where was Crazy Rich Asians filmed in Singapore?
At Newton Food Centre, Gardens by the Bay, the Marina Bay Sands pool, Raffles and CHIJMES, among others; some scenes were filmed in Malaysia.
Join the conversation
Which Singapore film or star do you love most? Share your favourite scenes and the films we should add.
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Sources: the National Library Board (Infopedia, BiblioAsia), the National Archives of Singapore, the Festival de Cannes and the Singapore International Film Festival, checked on 6 November 2026. The trailers are from Thunderbird Releasing’s, Carlotta Films’ and Warner Bros.’ official channels.