Asian Film Archive //free\\ Jun 2026

The AFA aims to expand its digitization efforts, moving towards a "Digital Archive" model that can eventually allow for broader remote access for researchers. There is also a strategic push towards documenting the "intangible heritage" of filmmaking—recording oral histories of veteran filmmakers to preserve the context behind the films.

and curated programs like "State of Motion," the archive transforms "dead" artifacts into living conversations about identity, history, and the evolution of visual storytelling. asian film archive

Before praising what is saved, one must acknowledge the abyss. Experts estimate that over 80% of Asian silent films are lost forever. The reasons are specific to the region: the nitrate stock of early Thai and Filipino cinema decomposed in humid warehouses; the Japanese occupation led to the systematic destruction of propaganda and pre-war reels; the Khmer Rouge erased nearly 90% of Cambodia’s cinematic output. The AFA was founded in 2005 precisely to halt this hemorrhage. Its deep value lies not in its Hollywood partnerships, but in its obsession with the —the newsreel forgotten in a Jakarta attic, the Cantonese opera film left to rot in a Kuala Lumpur shophouse. The AFA aims to expand its digitization efforts,

: Immersive experiences such as the Singapore Biennale 2025 "Matter Matters" exhibition reflect on 20 years of film preservation. Expand map Monographs 2023 - Asian Film Archive Before praising what is saved, one must acknowledge