Emerging Filmmakers Programme

The winner of the Apostrophe Films Most Promising Filmmaker Award took home services in kind valued at S$35,000 including the use of camera and director of photography, editing facilities and VFX services from Apostrophe Films.

N. Mohamed Yahssir swept the third Panasonic Digital Film Fiesta (DFF) Awards held in Singapore, winning Best Film, Best Cinematography, Most Promising Filmmaker and the online Audience Favorite Film Award with his short film titled CheckMATE, the heartwarming tale of an eleven-year-old boy and an ex-criminal who bond over a chess game.

Yahssir won a Panasonic camera worth US$2,295, S$4,000 worth of Panasonic product vouchers and a S$1000 Sensys product voucher.

In addition, he won five days’ usage of Panasonic Varicam HPX 3700 with director of photography worth S$13,500, eight days’ Final Cut Pro HD editing facilities with editor worth S$12,000 and visual effects conceptualization and creation from Apostrophe Films

VFX team worth S$10,000.

The short film was made by Yahssir during the DFF Emerging Filmmakers Programme where ten filmmakers, including Yahssir, were given a two-month mentorship with film professionals and provided with Panasonic film camera to shoot. Yahssir was mentored by award-winning filmmaker Victric Thng.

Other winners at this year’s DFF awards include Wesley Tan Aroozoo for Best Editing, Lee Chee Tian for Best Art Direction and Darren Tan for Best Music Score. The judges were filmmakers Tan Pin Pin, Royston Tan, Kat Goh and Apostrophe Film’s executive in charge of production & marketing, Julian Lim.

3rd DFF Awards winners Best Film: CheckMATE Winner: N. Mohamed Yahssir Prize: AG-HMC41EU AVCCAM Camera by Panasonic worth US$2,295 & Panasonic product voucher (valued at SG$2,500), Sensys product voucher (valued at SG$1000) Best Cinematography: CheckMATE Winner: N. Mohamed Yahssir Prize: Panasonic product voucher (valued at SG$1,000) & Sensys product voucher (valued at SG$1000) Best Editing: Maybe She Loves Everyone Winner: Wesley Leon Aroozoo Prize: Adobe Master Collection worth US$2,500 Best Art Direction: Beam Winner: Lee Chee Tian Prize: Panasonic product voucher (valued at SG$1,000) Best Music Score: 31.12.2009 Winner: Darren Tan Prize: Panasonic product voucher (valued at SG$1,000) Apostrophe Films Most Promising Filmmaker Award Winner: N. Mohamed Yahssir Prize: Services-in-Kind worth $35,500 • 5 days’ usage of Panasonic Varicam HPX 3700 with Director of Photography from Apostrophe Films, worth S$13,500 • 8 days’ Final Cut Pro HD editing facilities with Editor from Apostrophe Films, worth S$12,000 • Visual effects conceptualization and creation from Apostrophe Films VFX team, worth S$10,000 Online Audience Favourite Film Award Winner: CheckMATE by N. Mohamed Yahssir