Five months after the closure of beloved independent cinema The Projector, a new chapter begins for Singapore’s film community. Filmhouse, a new independent cinema, will open its doors on 3 February 2026 at The Projector’s former home in Golden Mile Tower, Level 5, Beach Road.
Founded by a patron who prefers to keep a low profile, Filmhouse reunites key members of The Projector’s core team, including Sharon Tan, 41, former general manager in its first 5 years, and Walter Navarro, head of programming. Together with the team, they’re committed to continuing the tradition of treating films with care—showcasing new releases alongside curated foreign, arthouse, classic and cult titles, and partnering with embassies for national film festivals.
“When The Projector closed, the film community lost an important advocate for cinema beyond the mainstream,” said Navarro. “What’s heartening is seeing others step forward—the Singapore Film Society at Cineleisure, collectives and organizations like Poster Room and the Asian Film Archive, spaces like TBC Bookstore—all reinforcing that demand for thoughtful cinema endures. Filmhouse exists to strengthen this ecosystem, amplifying diverse filmmaking and the community keeping film culture alive in Singapore.”
An Early Opening
While the space is still under refurbishment, Filmhouse has chosen to commence operations with a soft opening from 3 February 2026, to leverage on the excitement and hype from film awards season starting from early January with the Critics’ Choice Awards and leading up to the Academy Awards in March.
In a media statement provided, Filmhouse shared that as with any soft opening, audiences should expect a work-in-progress experience as the team fine-tunes operations and builds up to full capacity. Audiences will be able to witness the cinema’s premises evolving over the weeks, as the space continues to transform. “Each visit will feel like a
fresh one,” says Tan, “and we hope people will look forward to making new discoveries each time they return.” The Filmhouse team appreciates the patience and understanding of early visitors as they work to deliver the full vision of the cinema in the coming months.
Filmhouse has worked with Nathan Yong, furniture designer and 2008 President’s Design Award for Designer of the Year recipient, to enhance its spaces. Nathan has adopted the role of that of a scenographer, re-envisioning the cinema’s foyer with an entirely new visual language and palette of colours and materials. In addition, new foyer furnishings by Nathan’s eponymous brand, Nathan Home will be fully realised sometime later in March.
Other creative collaborators include the artist Speak Cryptic, who will be reconnecting with and reviving his much-beloved murals of characterful film-goers in a dedicated space at Filmhouse, as well as Knuckles & Notch, creative studio and risograph press known for their wildly colourful and often bizarre aesthetic, who will be collaborating with Filmhouse on retail and merchandising concepts
The audience can also expect significant audio and visual upgrades. The Green Room now features Filmhouse’s first 4K xenon lamp projector, while the Redrum and Blue Room are fitted with 2K laser projectors. Audio enhancements blend heritage with innovation: alongside new MAG speakers, the cinema has preserved vintage equipment including an Altec-Lansing power amplifier nearly 50 years old—a collector’s item from an era when cinema equipment was built to endure.
Trailer Bar marks their new concept at Filmhouse
Filmhouse takes concessions back to basics with Classic Cinema Popcorn and a selection of Soft Drinks and Alcoholic Beverages. Just as Filmhouse’s programming promises an ever-evolving experience, the Snackbar will also be experimenting with seasonal popcorn flavours and more! After screenings are done for the night, the Snackbar transforms into Trailer Bar, which boasts a more comprehensive drinks menu.
Run by Ritz and Rush Ang, the former core team behind Enclave Bar (originally founded and located at Golden Mile Complex), the Trailer Bar marks another homecoming to the Golden Mile neighbourhood. Trailer Bar continues Enclave’s tradition of creating space for Singapore’s creative communities—musicians, artists, and performers seeking room to express their artistry.
Offerings include house pours, refined takes on party cocktails, themed cocktails, craft beers, and natural wines—creating a natural extension where the post-film debate can continue well into the night.
Launch Programming: Award-Winners and Curated Collections
“After nearly ten years as part of The Projector’s programming team, Filmhouse represents a second chance to continue and expand on the programming ethos we became known for,” said Navarro. “We’re committed to developing a curated theatrical experience that considers every aspect of the guest journey—from how you’re welcomed at the box office to what you enjoy at the snack bar to the quality of picture and sound that brings each film to life. Our hope is to reignite Singaporeans’ love for cinema through a welcoming, communal experience that’s open to everyone.”
Our programming will spotlight cult classics, the best of world cinema, vibrant Singaporean and Asian storytelling, and prestige studio titles, while continuing to support independent and international film festivals, local film schools, and country-led showcases. The response has been encouraging—Filmhouse’s launch has already sparked collaborations with partners including the Embassy of France in Singapore, the Embassy of Italy in Singapore, the Goethe-Institut Singapore,
and the European Union Delegation to Singapore.”
The cinema kicks off with an impressive slate of acclaimed titles, including:
● Sentimental Value – The Norwegian-language drama that won the Grand Prix at the 2025
Cannes Film Festival and Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role at the 2026
Golden Globes
● Hamnet – Chloe Zhao’s period drama starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, winner of Best
Motion Picture – Drama at the 2026 Golden Globes
● Rental Family – A crowd-pleasing comedy drama featuring Brendan Fraser
Found Families Film Series
To coincide with the theme of coming home to Filmhouse, the cinema launches with Found
Families—a curated series exploring kinship by choice. The programme celebrates resilient,
unconventional families and communities, and the notion of finding a safe home when you don’t
have one of your own.
Featured titles include:
● Linda Linda Linda – A joyful ode to teenage friendship and the transformative power of
music, following high school girls who form a band days before their school festival
● Nomadland – Chloé Zhao’s poetic meditation on community among modern-day nomads,
finding family in the vast American West
● Marona’s Fantastic Tale – An animated celebration of loyalty and love through a dog’s eyes,
revealing how chosen families shape us across a lifetime. (With the support of Institut
Français and The Embassy of France In Singapore)
● 10s Across the Borders – An electrifying look at Southeast Asia’s ballroom culture, where
dancers transform rejection into radical kinship, building chosen families that redefine what
home means
● Little Miss Sunshine – A chaotic cross-country journey where a broken family learns that
true kinship is built through acceptance, support, and showing up for each other
Love is a Monster
Timed for Valentine’s Day, Filmhouse presents Love is a Monster—a fun film lineup that strays away
from the usual rom-com fare to acknowledge that love can also be messy, painful, and destructive
(not just hearts and flowers). The collection examines toxic, obsessive, and gloriously messed-up
romances, presenting love as:
● A lustful romance in Park Chan-wook’s cult vampire classic “Thirst”, and a wife turned
lingering ghost in the Thai-Singapore black comedy “A Useful Ghost”
● A doomed relationship with tragic consequences in Baz Lurhmann’s modern adaptation of
Shakespeare’s “Romeo + Juliet”
● A cautionary satire about vanity and the monstrous lengths we go to preserve our youth,
“Death Becomes Her”
Perfect for the cynically romantic, the recently heartbroken, or couples who prefer their date nights
with a side of existential dread.
The Return of Pink Screen
Additionally, Pink Screen, the annual LGBTQIA+ film festival, returns this Pride Month. Jointly presented by Filmhouse and global media and entertainment company NBCUniversal International, the signature event will feature a curated line-up of films that champion inclusion.
A New Home for Independent Cinema
Director Agnès Varda believed that the simple act of gathering to experience stories creates ‘drops of friendship and compassion’, where through cinema, one is able to share time, words and emotions with others, fostering the kind of deep attention and empathy that the fragmented digital age increasingly threatens.
Trailer Bar will host monthly community events and live performances—from hardcore to jazz to R&B—including the return of Warrior’s Jam, live music sessions organized by Tim DeCotta and his team, alongside initiatives like Singing Social Club and partnerships with the Singapore Butoh Collective.
The Blue Room will transform for select performances, blurring the line between cinema and live arts. Filmhouse is also committed to nurturing the next generation through school outreach programmes that bring students into the cinema to experience film as a communal practice, engaging with filmmakers and thinking critically about the stories they consume.
Ticket sales now live at http://filmhouse.sg/
