Witness to War: Memories and Screens

The memories of World War Two have been captured, interpreted and presented in various films – from iconic war films like Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence to romance films such as Hiroshima Mon Amour and historically significant films like Momotaro Sacred Sailors and Spirit of the Overseas Chinese which have not been seen in Singapore in recent history. For the first time, the National Museum, in collaboration with the Asian Film Archive, will be presenting Witness to War: Memories and Screens, a selection of films which document and remember the experience of World War Two in the Pacific and its aftermath.

In tracing the historical development from the bombing of Pearl Harbour (1941) to Hiroshima (1945), Memories and Screens will showcase films and narratives from Singapore and Malaya, Britain, Japan, America and Singapore’s regional neighbours, accounting for the diverse yet shared narratives of countries and people that have participated in and witnessed World War Two. This film programme – inspired by the exhibition Witness to War: Remembering 1942 – invites us to reflect upon the ways film across national borders remembers a shared history that continues to shape our reality today. Click here to get your tickets.

Witness to War: Memories and Screens is organised by the National Museum of Singapore as part of the Witness to War exhibition and curated by the Asian Film Archive.