freedom filmfest

Freedom Film Festival a possible mainstay in Singapore

Posted on 16. Nov, 2011 in freedom filmfest, Newsroom

Singaporeans For Democracy (SFD), will explore jointly with both its festival partners KOMAS and The Substation into the possibility of making the Singapore leg of Freedom Film Festival (FFF) an annual mainstay.

Some 140 people attended the Singapore leg of the FFF at The Substation on 28 October 2011. Hosted by SFD, this is the second time the FFF has been held in Singapore and has been widely seen as a second year of success. Read more »

MDA approves and rates films M18 and NC16 for SFD's human rights festival

Posted on 25. Oct, 2011 in freedom filmfest, Press Release

Freedom Film Fest 2011

SFD Media Release
25 October 2011
Singapore

Singapore’s official censor, Media Development Authority (MDA), yesterday approved and rated all 6 films submitted for Singaporeans For Democracy's (SFD) annual human rights event – Freedom Film Fest.

Three films were rated M18 and another three NC16. The event will be held on 28 October 2011, 7pm at The Substation. Read more »

Freedom Film Fest 2011 Singapore

Posted on 10. Oct, 2011 in freedom filmfest, Press Release

Freedom Film Fest 2011 Singapore

The Freedom Film Fest was initiated by Malaysian NGO Pusat Komas as a means to educate the public on the values of human rights. The festival's circuit in recent years has included Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Johor, Perak and East Malaysia.

Due to our shared political and cultural history with Malaysia, Singaporeans For Democracy will host the Singapore leg of the festival again for the second year running. None of the films shown in the eight year history of FFF has been censored or banned by the Malaysian Government. Read more »

James Gomez speaks on SFD trio investigations

Posted on 30. Jan, 2011 in freedom filmfest, Newsroom, sfd trio

James GomezJames Gomez speaks on SFD trio investigations

(Deborah Choo, The Online Citizen, 28 January 2011)

Three members of the Singaporeans For Democracy (SFD) are currently being investigated over the sale of 12 copies of the book Once A Jolly Hangman: Singapore Justice in the Dock at a film screening at the Substation on 14 November 2010. The trio are Mr Seelan Palay, Mr Jarrod Luo and Miss Rachel Zeng.

TOC speaks to SFD Executive Director Dr James Gomez to find out more. Read more »

Media reports on police investigation of SFD members over death penalty book

Posted on 28. Jan, 2011 in freedom filmfest, Newsroom, sfd trio

3 quizzed over sale of Shadrake book

(Tessa Wong, Straits Times, 28 Jan 2011)

THREE members of the Singaporeans For Democracy (SFD) political association were questioned by police yesterday over the sale of a book about the Singapore judiciary.

The three are artist and film-maker Seelan Palay, 27, businessman Jarrod Luo, 27, and activist Rachel Zeng, 28.

Police yesterday confirmed that investigations are being conducted.

This is 'a case where books containing matter which is potentially defamatory and in contempt of court were reportedly sold on Nov 14, 2010 during an event at the Substation', they said. 'As investigations are ongoing, we are unable to comment further on the matter.'

The book, Once A Jolly Hangman: Singapore's Justice In The Dock, is written by British journalist Alan Shadrake.

The book is not banned here, but in November last year, Shadrake was found by the High Court to have impugned the impartiality, integrity and independence of the courts in 11 passages in the book.

He was sentenced to six weeks' jail and fined $20,000, but has appealed against the sentence. Read more »

SFD to MDA: Ban the Jolly Hangman

Posted on 27. Jan, 2011 in freedom filmfest, Press Release, sfd trio

Once a Jolly Hangman SFD Media Release
27 January 2011

SFD to MDA: Ban the Jolly Hangman

Singaporeans For Democracy (SFD) calls on the Media Development Authority (MDA) to ban Once A Jolly Hangman: Singapore Justice in the Dock or assign it a classification that clearly and publicly indicates that the said book cannot be distributed or sold in Singapore.

SFD makes this call following police questioning of Mr Seelan Palay 27, Mr Jarrod Luo 27 and Miss Rachel Zeng 28 today at the Major Crime Division of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) at the Cantonment Police Complex. Read more »

Police investigate SFD members over death penalty book

Posted on 25. Jan, 2011 in freedom filmfest, once a jolly hangman, Press Release, sfd trio

SFD counter at Freedom Filmfest 2010SFD Media Release
25 January 2011

Police investigate SFD members over death penalty book

Three members of Singaporeans For Democracy (SFD) are being investigated by the police over the sale of 12 copies of the book Once A Jolly Hangman: Singapore Justice in the Dock at a film screening at the Substation on 14 November 2010.

Mr Seelan Palay 27, Mr Jarrod Luo 27 and Miss Rachel Zeng 28 have been summoned to appear at the Major Crime Division of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) at 1130am on 27 January 2011. Read more »

SFD hosts Freedom Film Fest 2010 Singapore

Posted on 16. Nov, 2010 in fff, freedom filmfest

Komas representative Arul Prakkash (left) with SFD organisersSingapore's first human rights film festival, held at the Substation Arts Centre on Sunday 14 Nov, 2010, saw the screening of 7 short films from Freedom Film Fest, a premier event in the calendar of Malaysia's civil society for the last seven years, and brought to local audience this year by Singaporeans for Democracy (SFD).

Despite an earlier downpour, about 80 people packed the Guinness Theatre for 4 hours to witness documentaries about the democracy movements, police corruption, lives of transsexual sex workers, plight of the Orang Asli and the forces that sparked the notorious cow-head protest. Read more »

Pro-democracy group to hold first human rights film festival in Singapore

Posted on 02. Nov, 2010 in fff, freedom filmfest, Press Release

2nd Nov 2010
Singaporeans For Democracy

Freedom Film Fest 2010Pro-democracy group to hold first human rights film festival in Singapore

A film festival dedicated to the promotion of human rights issues will be held for the first time in Singapore on November 14, 2010. Organised by local political association Singaporeans For Democracy (SFD), Freedom Film Fest Singapore will showcase seven human rights documentaries from neighbouring Malaysia.

Details as follows:

Freedom Film Festival Singapore: A Showcase of Human Rights Films from Malaysia.
Date : 14 Nov 2010
Time : 2pm to 6pm
Venue : Guinness Theatre, Substation Arts Centre, 45 Armenian Street
Facebook event page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=135960353120755

Admission is free, but donations are welcome. Sales of T-shirts and other paraphernalia at the door. Read more »