Independent cinema spaces in Asia

Independent, arthouse, and community-centered cinema spaces in Asia have been too often ignored in film commentary. But it is not an overstatement to maintain that they have been crucial for local film cultures and ecologies and have provided seminal dialogue outside of mainstream cinema practices. Among other things, such spaces have striven to offer meaningful opportunities to films and filmmakers that may not have received enough attention or may have otherwise struggled to reach audiences.

The issue will present a curated selection of independent cinema spaces in the Asian world. Such spaces will be approached from a variety of angles—including but not limited to critical essays, conversations, videos, and photo series. In the spirit of NANG, the ambition is to build a rich collection of words and images on these cinema spaces, for knowledge, inspiration, and enjoyment.

Included in the issue will be an interactive map, and possibly a curated storytelling map, that will allow to locate and delve into the selected cinema spaces. The issue will be published within NANG’s own website and will be available for free at: nangmagazine.com/spaces (All relevant parts will be custom designed).

Taking advantage of the capabilities of the online format, this will be an “open- ended” project. We hope therefore to update and expand both the map and the curated selection after the initial launch.