Singapore on Film

Singapore on Film explores the earliest footage of Singapore, dating back to the 1900s. The film includes 'Coolie Boys' and 'Ananas', filmed more than 100 years ago by the Pathe Brothers. Much of this remarkable archive has never been seen before, and has been specially restored and digitised by the British Film Institute.

This fascinating archive shows that Singapore was a multi-cultural melting pot, but life was grindingly hard for the majority. We see coolie dockers, rickshaw pullers, Sikh policemen and child labourers. Rare footage of a grand Peranakan funeral and Hindu fire-walking show scenes both familiar and unfamiliar. Newly-discovered home movies shine an intimate light into the lives of the elite.

Through interviews with historians, writers and filmmakers, we reveal stories both epic and intimate. Singapore on Film is narrated by renowned British actress Jenny Agutter, with the archive brought vividly to life through cutting-edge graphics and an evocative, specially-composed score.