The Singapore International Film Festival will wrap its 37th edition on November 1 with the Asian premiere of Eugene Kotlyarenko’s livestream-era crime caper “Vintage Violence,” starring Cole Sprouse and Mizuhara Kiko at the Capitol Theatre. The screening brings back a stand-alone festival closing night for the first time since 2014.
Essential Highlights of the Festival Finale
- The Feature: Eugene Kotlyarenko directs “Vintage Violence,” a contemporary crime caper exploring internet culture through split-screen livestreams and chat logs.
- The Venue & Talent: Cole Sprouse and Mizuhara Kiko join the director for the Asian premiere at Singapore’s Capitol Theatre on November 1.
- The Milestone: SGIFF executive director Jeremy Chua restores the dedicated festival closing night format, which has been absent since 2014.
Restoring the Closing Night at Capitol Theatre
After more than a decade without a dedicated finale, festival organizers are reviving the standalone closing night as a communal cinematic event. SGIFF executive director Jeremy Chua emphasized the cultural weight of the decision. “After more than a decade, we are excited to bring back the festival closing as a moment for audiences to come together for one final film on the big screen,” Chua stated regarding the upcoming November 1 event.
The feature previously bowed in the Midnight Madness section at the Toronto International Film Festival before heading to Southeast Asia. Kotlyarenko, Sprouse, and Mizuhara will make the trip to Singapore to support the regional launch at the Capitol Theatre.
Inside the Livestream-Era Crime Narrative
“Vintage Violence” continues director Eugene Kotlyarenko’s cinematic exploration of online ecosystems, following his previous digital-centric features “Wobble Palace” (2018) and “Spree” (2020). Born in Odessa and educated at Columbia University in film, philosophy, and literature, the filmmaker structures his latest project around contemporary screen culture.
The plot kicks off when a livestreamer named Carter explores an abandoned Colorado mine and uncovers a rare pair of 19th-century Levi’s jeans. Izumi, a viewer tracking the stream from Japan, informs him that the vintage denim commands high prices in Tokyo’s market. Complications multiply rapidly when Izumi’s indebted boyfriend pulls Edoga—a denim-obsessed underworld figure—into the scheme, setting off a chain reaction that draws in an exiled yakuza armed with a cybernetic middle finger that sprays a drug mist.
Creative Team Joins Public Discourse Program
Beyond the red-carpet screening, the creative team will participate in a public discourse program. On October 31, Kotlyarenko, Sprouse, and Mizuhara will appear at an “In Conversation With” session hosted at the National Museum of Singapore. The panel will dissect the director’s fascination with screen culture, how the film was made, and how both lead actors have evolved their on-screen approaches over their careers.
This session fits into a broader industry conversation strand running throughout the 37th edition. Other sessions feature international filmmakers and icons including Aamir Khan, Peter Chan, and Shim Eun-kyung on October 22, Koreeda Hirokazu on October 24, and Anthony Wong on October 29.
| Event Element | Details & Key Figures |
|---|---|
| Festival Edition | 37th Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) |
| Closing Night Film | “Vintage Violence” (Directed by Eugene Kotlyarenko) |
| Cast Leads | Cole Sprouse and Mizuhara Kiko |
| Closing Date & Venue | November 1 at the Capitol Theatre (Asian Premiere) |
| In Conversation Panel | National Museum of Singapore (October 31) |
Organizers Keep Opener Despite Political Pressure
The festival schedule remains packed despite external political pressures surrounding its opening night. SGIFF launches on October 21 with Hur Jin-ho’s “The Assassin(s).” Organizers maintained the title as the opener after South Korea’s conservative People Power Party—writing on behalf of all 109 of its lawmakers—formally requested that the festival drop the film over allegations of historical distortion.
Supported by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), the 37th edition balances high-stakes geopolitical discourse with forward-looking digital cinema. As the festival prepares to drop the curtain on November 1, “Vintage Violence” stands ready to test how modern audiences digest split-screen narratives on a massive theatrical scale.
