The NUS Singapore History Prize, established in 2014, aims to foster awareness and understanding of Singapore’s rich and intricate past. Open to books written in any of its four official languages: Chinese, English, Malay or Tamil – 43 submissions were shortlisted this year across 12 categories for its US$17,800 top prize; with fiction receiving most submissions. A winner will be announced August 25.
Singapore International Film Festival has awarded Fan Bingbing with the 2023 Cinema Icon Award. This prestigious honor recognizes an individual whose film work has made an impactful contribution to Singapore’s film industry and beyond, from among a pool of nominees including Wong Kar-wai and Sukrit Thangsuwan – presented at an exclusive gala dinner that also hosted Wong’s feature-length film Knives Out premiered.
This year’s Singapore Literature Prize attracted more than double its previous entry total and set an all-time high with 235 submissions – more than double last year and the highest ever total ever seen at any one competition in its history. Winners, to be revealed tonight in an award ceremony held at Victoria Theatre, include writers of Singaporean origin from any one of Singapore’s four official languages: Chinese, English or Malay. Each category winner received US$10,000 as prizes; first place won SG$20 000 while runners-up received US$10 000 with first place receiving US$20,000 respectively while runners-up received US$10,000; for Readers Choice awards winners SG$5,000 plus book purchase vouchers!
Gwee Li Sui, poet and literary critic, expressed concern at this decision in Poetry category where both winner and runner-up poet were male poets. Her criticism caused quite some outrage among authors including poet and literary critic Gwee Li Sui who commented, “the fact that two male poets won English Poetry Prize is indicative of sexism in its selection process, choice and affirmation”. Judges responded that gender had no bearing in their decisions.
Next month, Prince William will travel to Singapore for the Earthshot Prize awards ceremony, giving money to finalist and winners to develop technologies that address global environmental problems. His four-day journey will allow him to meet local groups working against illegal wildlife trafficking and protecting rainforests; Kensington Palace confirmed these details. Adding another aspect to Earthshot Week this year: all winners and finalists can also meet businesses and investors before attending their respective award ceremonies.