SMHFF Short Film Youth Competition is back for the third year! In 2021, we saw over 700 youths participate in the inaugural competition. Through the Festival’s platform, and multiple local and international collaborations, #SMHFFYouth have reached over 20,000 individuals around the world — and the numbers are still growing! By harnessing this powerful medium, we want to continue creating more avenues for our youth filmmakers to advocate for mental health/dementia issues.
The topics for SFYC 2022 are:
Grief & loss
and
Help-seeking & community support
Prizes
The 2022 Best Overall Short Film will be screened at the next Singapore Mental Health Film Festival.
Fireside Chats
Short Film Youth Competition 2022: Help-Seeking & Community Support Fireside ChatJoin us for Help-Seeking & Community Support Fireside Chat where we will be demystifying help-seeking through hearing and learning from the lived experiences of our esteemed panellists.
Posted by Singapore Mental Health Film Festival on Thursday, 7 April 2022
Short Film Youth Competition 2022: Grief & Loss Fireside ChatGrief and loss can be experienced in many ways, come and join our Fireside Chat where will be hearing from Pearl Mikaila Wee, Fatima Zohra, Adele Wan, and Michelle from Viriya Community Services to gain a better understanding of experiencing grief & loss from different perspectives. The fireside chat also covered steps on how to build resilience and move forward in the face of a painful loss.
Posted by Singapore Mental Health Film Festival on Wednesday, 6 April 2022
Sponsors
Jardine Matheson is a diversified Asian-based group with unsurpassed experience in the region, having been founded in China in 1832. The Group comprise a broad portfolio of market-leading businesses, which represent a combination of cash generating activities and long-term property assets that are closely aligned to the increasingly prosperous consumers of the region. Group companies in Singapore include: Jardine Cycle & Carriage; Cycle & Carriage Singapore, Jardine Engineering Corporation; Schindler Lifts (Singapore); Gammon Construction; Hongkong Land; MCL Land; Mandarin Oriental, Singapore; Dairy Farm Singapore (Cold Storage; Giant; Guardian Health & Beauty; and 7-Eleven); Maxim’s Catering Limited, a company incorporated in Hong Kong; Genki Sushi Singapore; and Starbucks Singapore.
MINDSET Care Limited (MINDSET) is a registered charity established by the Jardine Matheson Group of companies to make a tangible difference in the area of mental health. Led by Jardine Ambassadors, MINDSET aims to raise awareness and understanding of mental health issues to change attitudes, while at the same time, provide practical support to individuals, families and charitable initiatives in the mental health sector. MINDSET was awarded the Charity Governance Award 2018 and Charity Transparency Awards 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 by the Charity Council. MINDSET is also named a Champion of Good by the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre.
Supported By
National Youth Council (NYC) is the national body for youth development in Singapore and the focal point of international youth affairs.
At NYC, we believe in a world where young people are respected and heard, and have the ability to influence and make a difference to the world. Together with our partners, we develop future-ready youth who are committed to Singapore by instilling in them a heart for service, resilience and an enterprising spirit.
Jury Panel
Partners
How To Participate In SFYC 2022
Film Submissions Details

Film submission closes on 30 June 2022.
Maximum length of short films should be no longer than 10 mins (including opening and closing credits).
Participants will receive further information on film submissions after the production workshops.
Film Submission Format
The required soft copy format is listed below:
- Container Format: QuickTime (.mov)
- Codec: H.264
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9 (16:9 letterbox or pillar box if film is in another nativeaspect ratio)
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080 PROGRESSIVE
- Frame Rate: 24 or 25 FPS only
- Audio: Stereo Channels, AAC codec, 48kHz sample rate
- Maximum Duration: 10 minutes including opening title and closing credits
- Subtitles: English (if your film is in another language)
Virtual Talks & Workshops
DATE | TIME | EVENT | WHO |
---|---|---|---|
8 Mar | 11:59 pm | REGISTRATION FOR LIVE ONLINE WORKSHOPS CLOSES | ALL TEAMS |
12 Mar | 10:00 am -11:00 am | An Introduction to Trauma-informed Care (by Caregivers Alliance) | ONE Team member |
12 Mar | 2:00pm – 4:00 pm | Grief and Loss Fireside Chat | ALL registered participants |
19 Mar | 10:00 am – 12:00 pm | Safe Supportive Peers Part 1 by Caregivers Alliance Limited (Singapore) | Registered team member*** |
19 Mar | 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm | Help-seeking & Community Support Fireside chat | ALL registered participants |
26 Mar | 10:00 am – 12:00 pm | Safe Supportive Peers Part 2 by Caregivers Alliance Limited (Singapore) | Registered team member*** |
30 Mar | 11:59 pm | Final synopsis deadline | ALL TEAMS |
9 Apr | 10:00 am – 12:00 pm | Introduction to Filmmaking | AT LEAST 1 team member |
9 Apr | 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm | Art of Storytelling and Basic Post-production | AT LEAST 1 team member |
30 Jun | 11:59 pm | FINAL FILM SUBMISSION | ALL participants |
12 MARCH 2022
An Introduction to Trauma-informed Care
10:00 am – 11:00 am
A teaser for their other workshops, this introductory talk explores what a shared understanding of trauma entails, its prevalence in Singapore, and how trauma can be caused by an event like the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants also learn how to identify trauma in children and youths.
Caregivers Alliance Limited (CAL) is a non-profit organisation in Singapore dedicated to meeting the needs of caregivers of persons with mental health issues through education, support networks, crisis support, tailored services and self-care enablement. While there are other organisations providing support to the community affected by mental health issues, only CAL focuses exclusively on supporting caregivers.
CAL was incorporated on 25 October 2011. Our founding members are Singapore Anglican Community Services, Caregivers’ Association of the Mentally Ill and BinjaiTree Limited.
In 2019, CAL won the Charity Governance Award 2019 (medium charities category), awarded by the Charity Council in recognition of it having adopted the highest standards of governance, in line with the Code of Governance for Charities & IPCs. In 2021, CAL was conferred the President’s Volunteerism & Philanthropy Awards 2021: Organisation of Good (Non-Profit Organisation) Category. Organised by the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC), this is the pinnacle award and platform to recognise individuals, organisations and leaders who have achieved excellence in giving.
Grief & Loss Fireside Chat
2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Grief is a universal human experience and a natural emotional and physical response to any significant loss in one’s life. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many individuals have experienced losses in many forms – for example, job loss, loss of the “old normal”, or loss of someone dear.
This fireside chat will explore the concept of grief that encompasses bereavement and beyond. We hope that a broader understanding of grief and loss will help participants identify and acknowledge the feeling of loss, and how this experience is subjective and personal to everyone. The fireside chat will also cover steps on how to build resilience and move forward in the face of a painful loss
Panellists
19 MARCH 2022
Safe Supportive Peers Part 1
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
These interactive programs have been designed for young adults in mind. Learn how to integrate trauma-informed care into your interactions with your peers, as they help you understand:
- What trauma entails
- Trauma-informed approaches
- Implementation of trauma-informed care
- Healing and recovery
Help-seeking & Community Support Fireside chat
2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
The struggle, stress and isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic has put the limelight on mental health. While many more now understand the importance of mental health, barriers continue to be present in help-seeking. Further, while family and friends hope to be support persons, many are afraid or do not know how to help their loved one.
According to the Institute of Mental Health, the median time between onset of symptoms and treatment for mental health conditions (termed the “ treatment gap”) was 11 years for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and 4 years for bipolar disorder and alcohol abuse. This topic aims to address the treatment gap. More specifically, why it occurs, and how we can reduce this gap through two veins: individual help-seeking and community support.
Panellists
26 MARCH 2022
Safe Supportive Peers Part 2
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
These interactive programs have been designed for young adults in mind. Learn how to integrate trauma-informed care into your interactions with your peers, as they help you understand:
-
- What trauma entails
- Trauma-informed approaches
- Implementation of trauma-informed care
- Healing and recovery
9 APR 2022
INTRODUCTION TO FILMMAKING
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Participants will be introduced to the various aspects of filmmaking that will enable them to approach their own filmmaking journey in the SMHFF competition with confidence. The session will include an introduction to Scriptwriting, Producing and Directing. Scriptwriting will cover the basics of storytelling, understanding conflict and how to structure an engaging story. Participants will also be introduced to the scriptwriting format and software. Participants will also learn the basics skills on how to produce their own short films for the competition and how to communicate with actors effectively on their film sets.
Wesley Leon Aroozoo
Lecturer and Filmmaker
Wesley is a multi-disciplinary artist with 13 Little Pictures and a lecturer-in-charge at LASALLE College of the Arts. With works spanning disciplines and genres, Wesley’s works have been nominated for the Mecenat Award at the Busan International Film Festival, adapted as a multi-sensory exhibit at the Light to Night Festival and brought to life and performed at the Goodman Arts Centre. His latest novel, ‘The Punkhawala and the Prostitute’ was shortlisted for the Epigram Books Fiction Prize 2021.
ART OF STORYTELLING & BASIC POST-PRODUCTION
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Ever wondered what makes a compelling story? How do you create a storyboard that shows what your characters are doing instead of just telling your audience? In this workshop, participants will learn how to portray the motives of characters through different film techniques. Participants will also be introduced to the basics of post-production, suitable for complete beginners.
Yahssir M
Writer, Director, Executive Producer & CEO of MILLENIA MOTION PICTURES
Yahssir M. is a multiple award winning film-maker and the founder/CEO of Millenia Motion Pictures Pte Ltd – Asia’s entertaining, soulful and trailblazing media production house. For over 15 years, Yahssir through his short films, telemovies and dramas has been constantly telling stories from his heart. His protagonists are not superheroes but ordinary people who do extraordinary things. This can be seen from his narratives which highlight the human condition, including the social issues faced by the common man in Singapore. His ability to capture the essence of everyday living has been recognised worldwide by winning entries at the Asian Television Awards and New York Festival World’s Best TV & Films.
Millenia Motion Pictures
Millenia Motion Pictures Pte Ltd is a fully integrated, broad-based multimedia company that stands at the forefront of Film and Television production. We have produced over 14 Telemovies, various TV Shows, Short Films, TVCs and Corporate Videos. Millenia Motion Pictures is home to a team of earnest and creative professionals led by Director and Executive Producer Yahssir M. Millenia Motion Pictures has won several creative and industrial awards locally and internationally for outstanding achievements in its productions, and will continue to grow with the industry, to produce quality content for audiences all over the world.
Website: www.milleniamotionpictures.com
Email: hello@milleniamotionpictures.com
Showreel
Youtube Channel
Safe Space
SMHFF is committed to providing an open and safe space where we welcome people of all backgrounds and abilities to participate in empowering, non-judgemental and non-threatening discussions. This also means that we commit to respecting the privacy of others by maintaining confidentiality and allowing others to speak for themselves.
FAQs
If your question that hasn’t been answered in the FAQs, please send us a message!