Founded in 2005, AFA preserves Asian films to encourage scholarly research on film, and to promote a wider critical appreciation of this art form. The archive has collected more than 2,000 titles, with a focus on classic Asian films and contemporary independent works from Southeast Asia. The Archive's outreach programmes encourage film literacy and find new audiences for films in its collection. The Asian Film Archive is an affiliate of the International Federation of Film Archives and the Southeast Asia-Pacific Audiovisual Archive Association. Amongst its international advisors are Ray Edmondson, David Bordwell and Apichatpong Weerasethakul. Renowned scholar, Patricia Zimmermann described the work of the Asian Film Archive in and on the . In 2014, AFA became a subsidiary of the National Library Board. In 2015, the archive commissioned Fragment, a film anthology by Lav Diaz, U-Wei Haji Saari, Sherman Ong and others. It premiered on 30 October at Singapore's The Projector.
State of Motion is an annual multi-disciplinary event that revisits Singapore's cinematic history, exploring film as a document of time through exhibitions, screenings, tours and artistic responses.
Singapore Shorts
Singapore Shorts is an annual showcase celebrating the best and the most promising local short films in Singapore. Alongside screenings of the selected cinematic works, the programme also features post-screening discussions with the filmmakers, dedicated reviews from critics and a special section of older titles from the Asian Film Archive's collection. Thirteen short films were selected for its inaugural edition in 2018.
Reframe
Reframe is a salon series that constructs critical frameworks and examines topics surrounding cinema and the moving image through film showcases, panel discussions and presentations.
Alt Screen
Alt Screen is a film series, co-organised with the National Library Board, Singapore, to showcase Asian documentaries and offering interpretations of global issues and critical perspectives of humanity.
co:lab
Co-organised with library@esplanade, co:lab is a platform where new live works are experimented and presented through cross disciplinary encounters between film and performing arts.
Collection
Notable films in the collection include the :ms:Cathay-Keris Film Productions|Cathay-Keris Malay Classics Collection: :ms:Filem Hang Jebat|Hang Jebat by :ms:Hussein Haniff|Hussain Haniff, :ms:Mat Bond|Mat Bond by :ms:Mat Sentul|Mat Sentul and :ms:M. Amin|M. Amin and :ms:Filem Sumpah Pontianak|Sumpah Pontianak by :ms:B.N. Rao|B.N. Rao ; Evolution of a Filipino Family by Lav Diaz ; Blink of an Eye by Mike de Leon ; Manila in the Claws of Neon by Lino Brocka ; The Arsonist by U-Wei Haji Saari ; The Big Durian by Amir Muhammad ; Da Huang Pictures Collection and the Woo Ming Jin Collection that document the works of the Malaysian New Wave filmmakers. In 2014, The Cathay-Keris Malay Classics was inscribed into the UNESCO Memory of the World Asia-Pacific Regional Register. In keeping with its efforts to encourage an appreciation of Asian films, the AFA makes its collection available for public access through a reference collection at the library@esplande and through the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library at the National Library Building.
Cinema
AFA runs regular film programs at the Oldham Theatre, located at the National Archives of Singapore building along Canning Rise. The 132-seat cinema is equipped to exhibit films from 4K digital projection to traditional 35mm. The cinema launched in April 2019 with a slate of 8 Asian horror films, including the classic Orang Minyak starring P. Ramlee, and its Hong Kong riff, Oily Maniac.
Restorations
To make more films available for viewing and research, the AFA restores films that have been preserved but are in deteriorating condition. The restoration of Batch '81 was presented in the Venice Classics section during the 74th Venice International Film Festival in 2017. AFA's restoration of Bambaru Avith was selected for Cannes Classic 2020.
In June 2010, a group of Singapore filmmakers, including Tan Pin Pin, Royston Tan and Kelvin Tong, protested AFA's head Tan Bee Thiam's supposed conflict of interest. Their letter led to Tan's resignation as executive director in September.
