How has cinema shaped and reflected Singapore’s nation-building? Focusing on the years surrounding self-government in 1959, independence in 1965, and their immediate aftermath, author Raphaël Millet draws on his latest book, Singapore: A Cinematic Portrait (2026), to explore how films documented the birth of Singapore as a nation-state.

Through film excerpts, stills, posters, and historical insights, the talk features landmark works such as The Lion City (1960), with one of the earliest on-screen renditions of “Majulah Singapura” following its adoption as the national anthem, and Jefri Zain Dalam Gerak Kilat (1966), Singapore’s own James Bond-inspired spy thriller, reflecting the confidence and aspirations of a newly independent nation.

Suitable for film enthusiasts, history lovers, students, and the general public alike, this talk offers a compelling perspective on Singapore’s nation-building through the moving image.

This event is FREE with registration and will be held at the Central Library Programme Room 2 (B1) at the National Library Building.

For further assistance, please contact us at ticketing@asianfilmarchive.org 

About the speaker

Raphaël Millet is a film scholar, writer, director and producer based between France and Singapore since 2002. Trained in political science and film studies in Paris, he has taught cinema, worked with France Télévisions and the French National Centre of Cinema (CNC), and written widely on European, Middle Eastern and Asian cinemas.

A specialist on Singapore cinema, he is the author of Le Cinéma de Singapour (2003) and Singapore Cinema (2006), and a contributor to Positif, Trafic, Les Cahiers du cinéma and BiblioAsia. In 2005, he co-created Screen Singapore, the first major retrospective of the nation’s cinema, and has advised institutions including the Centre Pompidou.

As a documentary filmmaker, his work explores cinema history and culture. His Singapore-related films—Gaston Méliès and His Wandering Star Film Company, Chaplin in Bali and The Capitol of Singapore—are held in the Asian Film Archive.