I read with excitement a media release from the Singapore International Film Festival Committee. In addition to the Singapore Short Film Competition- which has seen winners such as Royston Tan and last year’s Boo Junfeng, they will for the first time present a new show.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences first presented the Academy Awards (or Oscars) in 1929. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts started the BAFTA Awards in 1947. And there’s the Hong Kong Film Awards, Golden Rooster Awards (Mainland China) and Golden Horse Awards (Taiwan).

We have finally progressed to a stage where there are enough feature-length films (and sufficient confidence) to do a Singapore Film Awards this April.

The nominees for Best Film are:

There are only five categories in the inaugural ceremony, and attention on the affair is unlikely to surpass that of the Oscars yet, but I guess we all have to start somewhere, somehow. At the risk of offending certain committees and sponsors, I would like to suggest they take a second look at this.

Prizes for Singapore Film Awards:

Best Film: Trophy and 3-night stay at Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa valued at $2,118

Best Director: Trophy and 2-night stay at Amara Singapore valued at $1,177

Key word: GLAMOUR. Declaring the value right down to the last dollar is the first step to deglamourisation. I feel.

It’s a movie awards lah. Not some corporate dinner and dance, as an industry insider whispered to me this morning.