Youth Mental Well-Being
To Be Seen:
Stories that Illuminate,
Solutions that Empower
Grand Final
25 October 2025 | Singapore
The Inspiring Asia Micro Film Festival 2025 wrapped up on 25 October with its highly anticipated Grand Finals and Awards Ceremony at the National Gallery Singapore — marking the culmination of a year-long celebration of creativity with purpose.
This year’s theme, “Youth Mental Well-being,” invited filmmakers and social innovators to explore the inner struggles and emotional resilience of young people in a fast-changing world. Through stories of courage and compassion, the festival sparked vital conversations about mental health — not as an individual issue, but as a shared social responsibility.
Held across six regions — China, Indonesia, Mongolia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam — the festival received over 860 submissions from more than 50 countries, including over 90 projects and 250 AI films . After nearly eight months of selections and preparation, the festival crowned winners across the Best Micro Film, Best Project, and Best AI Film Award categories, while recognising regional partners for their outstanding contributions to social innovation.
The 2025 festival featured three key programmes — the Grand Finals, Thought-Provoking Forums, and Award Ceremony — bringing together filmmakers, changemakers, and experts to celebrate storytelling, innovation, and social impact around youth mental well-being.
At the end of the awards ceremony, Mr. Lionel Li took the stage to announce the theme for the 2026 festival: “Community Empowerment.” The theme highlights how community offers a sense of belonging, strengthens resilience, and inspires perseverance. We believe that every individual and group is an asset to their own change, and film is a crucial medium for them to voice, connect, and act.
Inspiring Asia 2025 has illuminated one of the most pressing issues of our time—youth mental health. Through powerful stories and projects, the festival revealed how mental well-being is shaped not only by individuals but also by families, communities, and culture.
From its spark in 2021 — inspired by a single short film — Inspiring Asia has grown into a platform that connects voices across borders and disciplines. Over the past five years, it has continued to celebrate storytelling, innovation, and social impact, using film as a bridge to inspire empathy and change.
We extend our heartfelt appreciation to our Anchor Partners — Bluehill, Enlight Foundation, Li Foundation, and Rockefeller Brothers Fund — and our Platform Partners — Asia Community Foundation and Asia Philanthropy Circle — for their unwavering trust and collaboration, which have made this journey possible.
As Inspiring Asia continues to use film as a bridge, it will bring together creators and changemakers who strive to empower others, foster understanding, and inspire collective action toward a more compassionate and resilient world.
Youth mental health is one of the most urgent yet overlooked challenges in Asia today. Globally, around 20% of young people experience anxiety, and nearly one in four show symptoms of depression. Many struggle in silence—facing emotional isolation while access to care remains uneven across the region.
New in 2025, Inspiring Asia introduces Regional Film Festivals in countries including China, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and more—each serving as a gateway for local voices to shine on a continental stage.
The Inspiring Asia Micro Film Festival 2025 invites filmmakers, students, NGOs, and changemakers to engage with this year’s theme: Youth Mental Well-being, under the shared call to action: To Be Seen.
We welcome both personal stories and organizational voices. Whether you are an individual with lived experience or part of a team working on community-based solutions, your micro film can bring youths’ lived experiences to light, challenge stigma, and inspire empathy and action.
The Inspiring Asia Micro Film Festival is more than a competition—it is a growing platform that brings together storytellers and social innovators to drive change through the power of film. By taking part, you’ll have the opportunity to amplify your voice across Asia and beyond, gain recognition at both the regional and grand final levels, and build connections with NGOs, creators, funders, and fellow changemakers. With up to USD $100,000 in prizes and visibility on a larger platform, the festival is a space where powerful stories are not only seen, but supported.
The Inspiring Asia Micro Film Festival presents two main award categories:
Recognizes excellence in storytelling, cinematography, and thematic expression. It is awarded to the filmmaking team as a means of supporting their continued creative work and contribution to social storytelling.
Honors impactful public good initiatives that are presented through micro film. This award is given to nonprofit organizations or social enterprises to help sustain or scale their projects related to youth mental well-being.
Top entries from each region will advance to the main Inspiring Asia competition in Singapore, where they will compete for the highest recognition and prizes.
Each region will select and honor outstanding local entries. Selected works will also advance to the main Inspiring Asia competition. Award prizes at the regional level may vary by location and will be determined by each Regional Film Festival.
To apply for the Best Project Award, submit a micro film along with the following materials:
The submission portal will open in June 2025 at www.inspiringasia.org
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