Asian Film Archive ((exclusive))

Until then, the work is quiet, slow, and tedious. It involves wearing white gloves and smelling for the acrid scent of vinegar in steel cans. It involves chasing down elderly projectionists in rural Vietnam who have the only copy of a war documentary in their garage.

Asia has experienced rapid political upheaval—wars, coups, dictatorships. Films are the most visceral time machines we have. The Cambodian Film Commission (in partnership with the AFA) is racing to save films made before the Khmer Rouge regime, which killed 90% of the country's actors and filmmakers. Those reels are among the only surviving records of the people and accents that were erased. asian film archive

You might not speak Cantonese, Tagalog, or Malay, but the loss of these films is a loss to world history. Until then, the work is quiet, slow, and tedious

Established in 2005, the AFA is a non-profit organization that has grown to become a leading institution for Asian film preservation and promotion. Those reels are among the only surviving records

The more I watched, the more I realized that the Asian Film Archive was not just a repository of films, but a window into the cultures, histories, and experiences of the people who made them. Each film offered a unique perspective on the world, shaped by the social, political, and economic contexts of its time.

The AFA focuses on three primary pillars: , Restoration , and Appreciation .