National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA)

November 6, 2023
Ellis Crawford
Uncategorized

About National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA)

The NFSA, previously known as ScreenSound Australia, is Australia’s national audiovisual archive. Its main responsibilities include developing, preserving, maintaining, promoting, and providing access to a collection of film, television, sound, radio, video games, new media, and related documents and artefacts. This collection encompasses works from the late nineteenth century to the present day. Originally established as the National Historical Film and Speaking Record Library in 1935, it became an independent cultural organization in 1984. The NFSA’s headquarters in Canberra was officially opened by Prime Minister Bob Hawke on 3 October.

The NFSA collection holds over 3 million items, including various forms of media such as sound recordings, radio, television, film, video games, and new media. Alongside discs, films, videos, audio tapes, phonograph cylinders, and wire recordings, the collection also consists of supporting documents and artefacts like personal papers, organisational records, photographs, posters, lobby cards, publicity, scripts, costumes, props, memorabilia, and sound, video, and film equipment. Noteworthy holdings within the collection are the Cinesound Movietone Australian Newsreel Collection, 1929–1975, which contains 4,000 newsreel films and documentaries chronicling major events in Australian history, sports, and entertainment from 1929 to 1975. This collection was inscribed on the Australian Memory of the World Register in 2003. Another notable item is The Story of the Kelly Gang (1906), directed by Charles Tait, which is recognized as the world’s first full-length narrative feature film and was inscribed onto the International Memory of the World Register in 2007. The NFSA also holds the earliest surviving Australian sound recording, ‘The Hen Convention’, a novelty song by vocalist John James Villiers, accompanied by piano and recorded by Thomas Rome in 1896, as part of the Sounds of Australia. Additionally, the collection features the earliest surviving film shot in Australia, Patineur Grotesque, which captures footage of a man performing on rollerskates for a crowd in Prince Alfred Park, Sydney in 1896. Lastly, the NFSA contains original costumes from iconic Australian films like The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Muriel’s Wedding, Picnic at Hanging Rock, and My Brilliant Career.

What National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA)

The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia has the purpose of gathering, conserving, and disseminating Australia’s dynamic and varied audiovisual culture, which is represented by its ever-changing collection. This collection serves as a representation of their past, present, and future. By utilizing audiovisual technologies, they can capture moments in their most vibrant and authentic forms, including moving images and sounds. With a collection that consists of over 3 million items, the National Film and Sound Archive converts these records into “living memories,” showcasing the diverse aspects of Australia’s people, cultures, ideas, and beliefs throughout time and across the country.

Immerse yourself in Australia’s audio-visual history at the National Film and Sound Archive. Our enthralling exhibitions will keep you engaged for hours, and you can also enjoy special events and films in our Arc Cinema. Take a break and grab a bite to eat at our award-winning cafe while enjoying the scenery of the courtyard garden. Our Australians & Hollywood exhibition, exclusive to Canberra, showcases the work of Australia’s most celebrated film talent and craftspeople. It includes never-before-seen costumes, props, documents, and footage, as well as prized loans from the private collections of renowned actors, cinematographers, and filmmakers. The NFSA is open daily from 10 am to 4 pm, with extended hours until 8 pm on Fridays and for advertised events. For more information, please visit our website. The Curators Cafe operates from Monday to Thursday from 8.30 am to 3.30 pm, on Fridays from 8.30 am to 6.30 pm, and Saturdays from 10 am to 3 pm. We are closed on Sundays and public holidays.