Asian Film Archive
There are so many things to love about the Asian Film Archive website and blog. The site’s layout does a really good job of balancing quite a bit of information with a minimalist navigation scheme. From a glance at the home page, users can learn pertinent details about the collection, the Archive’s educational initiatives, and upcoming events. The designers’ arresting choice of visuals makes this one a really looker. On a purely aesthetic level, this website is my favourite that I have looked at so far.
Above the dancing nuns in the screenshot above, you’ll see that the Blog is fully incorporated into the organization’s website. The complimentary aesthetic of the blog and its easy accessibility from the home page is a good indicator of its role as a critical communication tool for the organization. This makes a lot of sense in light of the Archive’s services and community-focused approach.
Based in Singapore, the Archive envisions its role as involving much more than the “mere” preservation of film. In the About column featured on the blog, Asian Film Archive describes its mandate as being:
“to preserve the rich film heritage of Singapore and Asian Cinema, to encourage scholarly research on film, and to promote a wider critical appreciation of this art form. As an important nexus, it brings together the various segments of the Asian film community in order to open and enrich new intellectual, educational and creative spaces.”
Further, the Asian Film Archive:
aspires to be much more than just a repository of film and tape. It is to be a hub for the film community, contributing to culture, scholarship and industry.
If the stated mission of the blog is “to save, explore and share the art of Asian Cinema” its navigational features are very much reflective of these purposes. Users have the option of searching the blog for specific entries using the search tool, calender or tagged categories. Clicking on Reel Emergencies brings you to currently featured films in the collection, while Moving Minds brings the user to the website’s Education page. Being a visual person and a bit of a film geek myself, I also enjoy the film covers that adorn the side column of the blog.
The best thing about the blog is how clearly interrelated it is with the overall mandate of the Archive, its services offered and its role in the community. And since most of the blog postings relate to specific events and screenings hosted by the Archive, the addition of pictures from the well-attended festivities certainly adds a nice touch. In this capacity, the blog also serves as an important advocacy tool, by making apparent the presence and value of the Archive in the broader arts community.
Despite being physically rooted in Singapore, the work of the Asian Film Archive is truly valuable to all film buffs interested in international cinema. Would I follow this blog as an archive user and overall film geek? Absolutely!
Cello said,
May 4, 2009 at 12:53 pm
I have a blog where I am trying to deliver old and new asian influenced film reviews. So far I have reviewed a broad number of film and I hope to conitnue. Swing by if you are ever bored!