Singapore’s longest-running indie animation festival, Cartoons Underground, is back on November 1 at *SCAPE – and this year’s edition might just be its most ambitious yet. Expect over 20 animated shorts from Singapore and around the world, spanning award-winning festival hits, student films, and everything in between.
This year’s stories dive deep into what it means to remember, belong, and grow. Many films explore themes like identity, memory, and family, while others turn the mundane into dreamlike meditations on change. Highlights include Mountain Mountain by Singaporean students Grace Cheu and Ben Tan, a whimsical cable car search for “mountains in Singapore”; S The Wolf by Palme d’Or-winning Egyptian filmmaker Sameh Alaa; and Pear Garden, a BAFTA-longlisted short from Iran about the bond between a grandmother and granddaughter after cancer surgery.
Beyond the screen, the festival transforms *SCAPE into an animation playground, with a virtual street-art gallery inspired by Kampong Glam, creative booths, and bites from Kult Yard and Lavi Tacos. Plus, expect live Q&As, masterclasses, and the Golden Durian Awards celebrating standout works.
Buy your tickets to Cartoons Underground 2025 here.