Our Fondest Memories Of The Projector Over The Years
The Projector Represented A Home - Not Just For Film Lovers But Communities Of Every Kind
By now, you’ll probably have seen the devastating news - The Projector is shuttering with immediate effect, owing to a combination of factors such as untenable operating costs and a decline in audience numbers.
“It breaks our hearts to make this decision,” said Karen Tan, founder of The Projector. “We’ve fought to keep The Projector alive through every challenge — from breathing new life into a disused cinema at Golden Mile Tower, to weathering the pandemic, to expanding to new spaces. But the combination of rising costs, changing audience habits, and the worst consumer market conditions in a decade has left us with no viable path forward...
This hasn’t been the work of a single person or team, The Projector was also built and shaped in all its forms by our fans and collaborators, and we are incredibly proud of what we’ve created together – a home for the creatives, misfits and dreamers. The home of the alternative voice. The Projector may be closing, but we hope its spirit will live on in the conversations, ideas, and communities we’ve nurtured. If Singapore wants to thrive, it must find a way for creative and cultural businesses to survive — because culture is the cornerstone of identity and civil society.”
The sudden announcement caught people by surprise and many have expressed dismay at the news - The Projector is after all one of the very few independent cinema operators in Singapore. Yep, The Projector constantly fed us with great films - so many over its 11 years!
But beyond the silver screen, it also became an irreplaceable haven for many communities, being the site of various parties, and giving space for civil society groups to hold discussions and fundraisers - so much so that it’s hard to think of another space in Singapore which could, and did, bring together such diverse audiences.
As The Projector’s Tan told us in a previous interview, “we’ve had everyone from punk communities to arthouse geeks, mental health groups and animal welfare activists, even people from the rock climbing scene hold events on site… It’s interesting to have vastly different groups identify with the same physical space yet feel equally at home. I think we kind of function as a community centre that people actually want and we provide an irreverent voice in what is perhaps an overtly polished city.”
Here, we look back at some of our favourite interviews, shoots, and moments at this beloved space:
F ZINE Threw A Screening Party - And The Projector Was Our Choice Of Course
We took over The Projector for the launch of the September 2019 issue — a ‘90s-themed night filled with colour-blocked balloons, kacang puteh, and Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet, paired with themed gin & tonics. Plus, we dropped our first-ever mini music video featuring the incredible Shye when she was just starting out.
How The Projector And Other Small Local Businesses Adapted To Covid-19
The year was 2020, and most things were on lockdown - times were tough but The Projector pivoted to holding virtual screenings and donating movie vouchers to strangers as a gesture of inclusiveness.
Remember When The Projector Had A Pop-up At Riverside Point?
The Projector started Projector X, a pop-up offshoot, in 2021, transforming an old nightclub at Riverside Point into a neon-lit cinema experience. With wireless headphones, ‘80s vibes, and a curated film lineup, it brought indie cinema to life in a whole new way.
New Digs In Town
2022 saw The Projector expand into the Orchard Road area for the first time, taking over the space formerly occupied by Cathay Cineplex in the historic Cathay building.
Get To Know Three Emerging Thespians And Models
TikTok star Dewy Choo, thespian Tess Pang and musical star Prasheela Ramesh played models for the day, shot in the distinct halls of The Projector.
Love Notes From Some Of Our Favourite Local Creatives To Their Communities
What do some of the year’s coolest, most exciting and inspiring creative newsmakers and friends from the F ZINE community have to say to those who have helped make their year great? They tell us.
A Historic Tie-Up With The Biggest Cinema Chain In Singapore
Golden Village X The Projector launched at Cineleisure at the tail end of 2023 — a bold coming together of Singapore’s cinema giant and indie favourite. The team behind The Projector spoke to us on what the then-new space meant for The Projector, cinema-going and possibly Orchard Road.