As the first Singapore-led feature to win at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, The Violinist has put the country on the global stage, and a homecoming is in order. The hand-drawn feature is set to open in cinemas nationwide on 17 September, following a gala premiere at Capitol Theatre on 3 September that will bring together the various members of the production team voice cast.
Directed by local filmmaker Ervin Han (The Girl And The Cat) and former Walt Disney Animation Studios animator Raul Garcia (The Lion King), the Singapore-Spain-Italy co-production tells a sweeping historical drama spanning 80 years, set against the backdrop of Singapore and Malaya’s past. It also features an original score by award-winning composer Ricky Ho and Isabel Latorre, with lead violin performances by Singaporean musician Joy Yong.
“Against the backdrop of war-torn Singapore and Malaya, a gifted violinist (Fei) and her childhood soulmate (Kai) are torn apart, their lives forever altered by history,” reads the official logline. “Across the decades, as empires fall and memories fade, one haunting melody endures — a quiet echo of love, loss, and a promise left unfinished.”
Playing the older and younger versions of Fei are Tan Kheng Hua and Fang Rong, respectively, joined by Ayden Sng as Kai. Lim Bo Seng, the real-life resistance leader who serves as a mentor figure to Kai, is woven into the story through Adrian Pang (Guo Liang in the Mandarin dub), while Kazua Tanabe portrays Inoue Takashi, a Japanese officer drawn with deliberate moral complexity. Enrique Arce’s Hugo rounds out the roster.
The Violinist was 10 years in the making, before notching two accolades at Annecy: Cristal for a Feature Film, the festival’s highest honour, and the SACEM Award for Best Original Soundtrack in a Feature Film, which recognises its evocative score and music-led storytelling. Most recently, the film has been named in the Official Selection in the 2026 Centrepiece programme at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), alongside Julián, Light Pillar, Muyi, Tangles, and Viva Carmen, marking another significant milestone for the local arts scene.
The Violinist will debut at the Singapore Gala Premiere — with Sng, Tan, Fang Rong, Tanabe, Ho, and Yong in attendance — on 3 September before making its way to Golden Village theatres on 17 September.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Kevin Low
