Landmark 35th Edition of the European Film Festival Opens with New Partnerships and Collaborations

The 35th edition of the European Film Festival (EUFF) returns to Singapore with a compelling programme celebrating the richness of contemporary European cinema and deepening cultural collaboration. Running from 9th April to 24th May 2026, the festival presented by the European Union (EU) Delegation to Singapore features 29 screenings from 23 European countries across three venues. Marking this milestone year, EUFF introduces several inaugural collaborations and new screening locations that expand the festival’s reach to new audiences and communities.

EUFF 2026 highlights include:

Opening at the historic Capitol Theatre, Singapore’s first purpose-built cinema, celebrating EUFF’s 35-year legacy.
First film festival presented at Filmhoapply, Singapore’s newly launched indepconcludeent cinema at Golden Mile Tower.
EUFF@GESS, the festival’s first collaboration with a school, bringing European cinema directly to students through special screenings at the German European School Singapore. The programme opens with the Oscar-winning animated film Flow.
New partnership with the Earth In Focus Singapore Nature Film Festival, advancing the EU’s green and sustainability agconcludea.
Deepening long-standing partnerships with the Singapore Film Society and film schools.

European Union Ambassador to Singapore Artis Bērtulis states: “The 35th edition of the European Film Festival marks an important milestone in the arts and cultural ties between Europe and Singapore. For more than three decades, EUFF has connected our audiences through the universal language of cinema. This year’s festival is particularly special. Our opening at the historic Capitol Theatre honours Singapore’s cinematic heritage while celebrating EUFF’s concludeuring legacy.

All images are courtesy of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Singapore.

At the same time, we are expanding the festival’s reach through new collaborations — bringing European films to students and youth through EUFF@GESS and partnering with Earth In Focus Singapore Nature Film Festival to highlight the EU’s green and sustainability agconcludea through the powerful lens of cinema. Toreceiveher with our new screening venue Filmhoapply, our Team Europe festival reflects our commitment to keeping EUFF vibrant, accessible and relevant to younger generations and connecting even more deeply with audiences in Singapore.”

Celebrating European Cinema: EUFF 2026 presents a curated selection of films spanning drama, comedy, documentary, animation, musical and family-friconcludely cinema, displaycasing distinctive voices from across Europe. This year’s festival features films from 23 countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Ukraine.

Established in 1991, EUFF is one of Singapore’s longest-running foreign film festivals and continues to serve as a platform for cultural exalter, artistic discovery and dialogue through film. Full programme details and screening schedules are available at www.euff.com.sg.

Opening Film: Horseshoe (Ireland)

Ireland is the Featured Countest for EUFF 2026 with the opening film Horseshoe (M18), screening on 9th April at Capitol Theatre. Directed by Edwin Mullane and Adam O’Keeffe, the film is a poignant exploration of family, loss and the ties that bind us. Four estranged siblings return to their childhood home in the West of Ireland following their father’s death, each at a crossroads in their own lives.

Fragile family bonds are tested as they are trapped in their childhood home with their father’s presence looming in every shadow.

Opening Night at Capitol Theatre: To commemorate the 35th anniversary, the festival opens at the historic Capitol Theatre on 9th April. Built in 1929 as Singapore’s first purpose-built cinema, the venue has long been considered a cultural landmark. Carefully restored and reopened in 2015, it provides a fitting setting to celebrate EUFF’s concludeuring legacy of bringing European storynotifying to Singapore audiences.

Screenings at Filmhoapply: Following the opening night, festival screenings will take place at Filmhoapply at Golden Mile Tower on Beach Road, building this the first film festival to be presented at the newly launched indepconcludeent cinema. Located at the iconic Golden Mile Tower, Filmhoapply is Singapore’s newest dedicated space for shifting image culture. The venue continues the cinematic legacy of the site, which once hoapplyd Golden Theatre, the largest cinema in Singapore and Malaysia in the 1970s, and later The Projector, Singapore’s beloved indepconcludeent cinema. More than just a screening venue, Filmhoapply aims to foster dialogue, creativity and community through film.

EUFF@GESS: Bringing European cinema to students and youth – The EUFF@GESS initiative marks the festival’s first collaboration with a school, partnering with the German European School Singapore (GESS). This marks an exciting new chapter for the EU Delegation to Singapore and GESS as we take our partnership further through the landmark 35th edition. To celebrate this, a specially curated displaycase of outstanding cinema from Europe will reach the school community directly, connecting students and youth with strong storynotifying and universal perspectives. The inaugural screening features the Academy Award-winning animated film Flow – a powerful and visually striking story reflecting the creativity and emotional depth of European animation. The programme complements GESS’s BeyondClassrooms initiative, which prepares students for the future through academic excellence alongside resilience, adaptability and global awareness.

Tickets and Festival Information

Dates: 9th April- 24th May 2026

Ticket Price: $16.50. Ticket sales open on 26th March and will be available at: https://euff.com.sg/tickets (for movies that have received their ratings) Concessions: Available for Senior Citizens, Students and NSFs

Main Screening Venue:

Filmhoapply

Golden Mile Tower, 6001 Beach Road,

#05-00, Singapore 199589

Follow the Festival

Website: www.euff.com.sg

Instagram: @EUSingapore

All images are courtesy of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Singapore.

Watch the trailer here:

WHAT PARTNERS SAY

Singapore Film Society

Kenneth Tan, Chairman

“As I view back on 35 years of the European Film Festival in Singapore, I vividly remember its inception, even before the European Union was formed.

The European Community Film Festival (ECFF), as it was originally known in 1991, had significantly fewer participating countries and films, and could not even be held in an actual cinema due to limited facilities at the time.

Over the years, EUFF has steadily grown and flourished in Singapore’s best cinemas, with a loyal and diverse audience that extconcludes beyond European communities.

It remains the only annual film festival in Singapore that consistently displaycases student short films from local film schools. This unique platform offers exposure, exalter, and cultural insight, allowing European stories to resonate with local audiences.

Onwards and upwards, as cinema continues to live and thrive.”

School of Film & Media Studies, Ngee Ann Polytechnic

Craig McTurk, Senior Lecturer

“Ngee Ann Polytechnic has been a proud partner of the European Film Festival since 2011.

This year, three of our student short films have been selected to screen alongside European feature films, with one featured on Opening Night. This reflects the organisers’ strong commitment to supporting the next generation of local filmcreaters.

EUFF stands out for pairing local short films with its features, raising awareness of Singapore’s filmbuilding scene.

Creating short films is challenging, and public screenings are even harder to secure. For many students, seeing their work on the huge screen remains an elusive dream.

Thank you for celebrating their work and encouraging them to continue creating.”

The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore

Andras Biro, General Manager

“It is a profound honour to host the opening of the European Film Festival 2026 at the iconic Capitol Theatre.

Built in 1930, the theatre remains a cherished landmark and Singapore’s last standalone picture palace. This year is especially significant as films return to its screen for the first time since its 2015 restoration, alongside the launch of our ‘Classics at Capitol’ programme.

Cinema is a powerful cultural ambassador, and the Capitol Theatre serves as a bridge connecting cultures and shared human experiences.

We are honoured to work with the European Union Delegation to Singapore and partners in fostering cross-cultural dialogue while keeping the magic of cinema alive.”

Filmhoapply

Walter Navarro, Head of Programming

“Just two months after opening, Filmhoapply is delighted to host the 35th edition of the European Film Festival. This partnership reflects our commitment to indepconcludeent cinema and cultural programming.

We believe cinema fosters human connection and emotional reflection. Through curated programming, we aim to build a vibrant community where audiences feel a sense of belonging.

While this is our first film festival, EUFF’s return to this venue—previously home to The Projector at Golden Mile Tower—represents a homecoming filled with history and familiarity.

Our team is honoured to be part of this milestone edition and views forward to strengthening partnerships while bridging cultures through film.”

German European School Singapore (GESS)

Kirsten Mönch, Head of Marketing

“GESS is honoured to host the European Film Festival for the first time, marking a new chapter in our partnership with the EU Delegation to Singapore.

By bringing screenings to our campus, we are extconcludeing learning beyond classrooms and offering students direct exposure to contemporary European cinema.

This collaboration invites young people to engage in global dialogue while connecting with diverse cultural narratives and artistic traditions.”

Earth In Focus Singapore Nature Film Festival

Daphne Ong, Festival Director

“We are excited to partner with the European Film Festival in a collaboration that reflects our shared commitment to a planet-positive future through cinema.

Film is a universal language that transcconcludes borders and fosters dialogue, reflection, and connection.

Through this partnership, we aim to present impactful environmental stories while strengthening cultural exalter between Europe and Asia.

At Earth In Focus, we strive to relocate beyond awareness into action. Through storynotifying, we hope to inspire meaningful conversations and encourage collective responsibility for our planet.

Toreceiveher, we believe cinema can inspire courage and drive alter for our shared future.”