Asian Film Archive: Reciprocal - 3 Film Pass
Reciprocal is Asian Film Archive’s (AFA) annual collaborative film program that spotlights the archival collections of AFA and a partnering archive. Inspired by and responding to the resonance of each other’s featured collections, the curated line-up explores the creative intersections and juxtapositions between the preserved national, regional, and international film and moving image, offering perspectives on archival issues and concerns confronting contemporary archivists.
Explore the Reciprocal program and book a pass containing a selection of 3-films of your choice.
Maryam (Maryam Pagi Ke Malam)
2023 | UC15+ | 107mins | DCP | Malay and English with English Subtitles
Set within the span of a day, Maryam follows a 50-year-old art gallery owner from an aristocratic Malay family as she seeks approval to marry Damian, her younger boyfriend from Sierra Leone. Despite her independence and success, Maryam must navigate a labyrinth of formalities and expectations – both familial and institutional – that govern her right to choose. Along the way, she faces a series of encounters that quietly expose the underlying tensions of race, class, and gender in the society around her.
Maryam is the debut feature by Malaysian director Badrul Hisham Ismail. The film premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in 2023 and went on to win Best Actress and Best Original Film at the Asian Film Festival in Rome in 2024.
Be With Me
2005 | UC15+ | 94mins | DCP | Cantonese, English, Hokkien, Mandarin with English Subtitles
Be With Me weaves together three fictional vignettes of longing, isolation, and love – each subtly linked by the real-life story of Theresa Chan, a deaf and blind woman who overcame immense challenges to lead a rich and independent life. Drawing from Chan’s autobiography, the film explores different forms of human connection: a teenage girl’s forbidden romance, a security guard’s silent obsession, and a widower’s enduring grief.
Released in 2005, Be With Me is the third feature film by Eric Khoo, one of Singapore’s most prominent filmmakers, following Mee Pok Man (1995) and 12 Storeys (1997). The film opened the Directors’ Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival that same year, marking a milestone in Singaporean cinema on the international stage.
Forever Fever + Karaoke
1998 | M | 97mins | DCP | English with Subtitles
Hock (Adrian Pang) is a disillusioned young man stuck in a dead-end job and burdened by overbearing parents. Seeking escape, he immerses himself in Bruce Lee films, dreams of owning the fastest, most stylish motorbike, and spends time with equally aimless friends. One night, after getting caught up in the excitement of the disco scene, Hock's life takes an irreversible turn.
Forever Fever became the first Singaporean film to be acquired for worldwide commercial release by the major film distributor Miramax. The film was restored by the Asian Film Archive in 2018 using the original camera and sound negatives preserved by the AFA.
Join us post-screening and take your turn on the main stage for a night of karaoke fun.
Sementara
2020 | UC18+ | 103mins | DCP | English with Subtitles
Filmed during the occasion of Singapore’s 50th anniversary celebrations, Sementara captures a portrait of modern Singapore through a series of interviews and intimate conversations. Moving across different walks of life, the filmmakers encounter individuals who share personal thoughts on identity, belonging, and change – revealing a society in flux beneath the surface of national celebration.
The directorial debut documentary feature of Joant Úbeda and Shao Min Chew Chia won the 2020 Audience Choice Award at the 31st Singapore International Film Festival.
Ring of Fury
1973 | M | 78mins | DCP | Mandarin with English and Chinese Subtitles
A humble noodle-seller refuses to pay protection fees to a gang of thugs, resulting in tragedy
befalling his family and loved one. To exact revenge, he learns martial arts to deal with the gang led by a mysterious man in an iron mask.
Inspired by the 1970s kung fu craze sparked by Bruce Lee, Ring of Fury is Singapore’s first and only martial arts film featuring local Kyokushin karate master, Peter Chong. Banned in Singapore for over 30 years, the film was restored by the AFA in 2017 using the surviving 35mm release print.
NOTE: Once purchased, you will receive a unique pass code on your receipt. Visit https://tickets.nfsa.gov.au/passbookings and enter this code to choose your films.
Explore the Reciprocal program and book a pass containing a selection of 3-films of your choice.
Maryam (Maryam Pagi Ke Malam)
2023 | UC15+ | 107mins | DCP | Malay and English with English Subtitles
Set within the span of a day, Maryam follows a 50-year-old art gallery owner from an aristocratic Malay family as she seeks approval to marry Damian, her younger boyfriend from Sierra Leone. Despite her independence and success, Maryam must navigate a labyrinth of formalities and expectations – both familial and institutional – that govern her right to choose. Along the way, she faces a series of encounters that quietly expose the underlying tensions of race, class, and gender in the society around her.
Maryam is the debut feature by Malaysian director Badrul Hisham Ismail. The film premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in 2023 and went on to win Best Actress and Best Original Film at the Asian Film Festival in Rome in 2024.
Be With Me
2005 | UC15+ | 94mins | DCP | Cantonese, English, Hokkien, Mandarin with English Subtitles
Be With Me weaves together three fictional vignettes of longing, isolation, and love – each subtly linked by the real-life story of Theresa Chan, a deaf and blind woman who overcame immense challenges to lead a rich and independent life. Drawing from Chan’s autobiography, the film explores different forms of human connection: a teenage girl’s forbidden romance, a security guard’s silent obsession, and a widower’s enduring grief.
Released in 2005, Be With Me is the third feature film by Eric Khoo, one of Singapore’s most prominent filmmakers, following Mee Pok Man (1995) and 12 Storeys (1997). The film opened the Directors’ Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival that same year, marking a milestone in Singaporean cinema on the international stage.
Forever Fever + Karaoke
1998 | M | 97mins | DCP | English with Subtitles
Hock (Adrian Pang) is a disillusioned young man stuck in a dead-end job and burdened by overbearing parents. Seeking escape, he immerses himself in Bruce Lee films, dreams of owning the fastest, most stylish motorbike, and spends time with equally aimless friends. One night, after getting caught up in the excitement of the disco scene, Hock's life takes an irreversible turn.
Forever Fever became the first Singaporean film to be acquired for worldwide commercial release by the major film distributor Miramax. The film was restored by the Asian Film Archive in 2018 using the original camera and sound negatives preserved by the AFA.
Join us post-screening and take your turn on the main stage for a night of karaoke fun.
Sementara
2020 | UC18+ | 103mins | DCP | English with Subtitles
Filmed during the occasion of Singapore’s 50th anniversary celebrations, Sementara captures a portrait of modern Singapore through a series of interviews and intimate conversations. Moving across different walks of life, the filmmakers encounter individuals who share personal thoughts on identity, belonging, and change – revealing a society in flux beneath the surface of national celebration.
The directorial debut documentary feature of Joant Úbeda and Shao Min Chew Chia won the 2020 Audience Choice Award at the 31st Singapore International Film Festival.
Ring of Fury
1973 | M | 78mins | DCP | Mandarin with English and Chinese Subtitles
A humble noodle-seller refuses to pay protection fees to a gang of thugs, resulting in tragedy
befalling his family and loved one. To exact revenge, he learns martial arts to deal with the gang led by a mysterious man in an iron mask.
Inspired by the 1970s kung fu craze sparked by Bruce Lee, Ring of Fury is Singapore’s first and only martial arts film featuring local Kyokushin karate master, Peter Chong. Banned in Singapore for over 30 years, the film was restored by the AFA in 2017 using the surviving 35mm release print.
NOTE: Once purchased, you will receive a unique pass code on your receipt. Visit https://tickets.nfsa.gov.au/passbookings and enter this code to choose your films.
Terms and Conditions
Pass is not transferable and is valid for one entry per session. All sessions must be pre-booked. Passes are not valid for special events. Passes can be scanned at the door for entry.