News and updates about events, exhibitions and initiatives at our Acton headquarters in Canberra.

2026

Other worlds await this Winter at the NFSA

19 May 2026

Spend a warm winter day at the NFSA and take a cinematic journey through time and space. From mind-bending time travel and fractured narratives to intergalactic adventures, alien encounters and cosmic odysseys, the Winter Film Series at Arc Cinema has stories stretching across eras and into the far reaches of the universe. Whether you’re drawn to contemplative tales or epic escapism, you can explore worlds reshaped by technology, desire and chance. 

2025

Beyoncé, DiCaprio, Hepburn: Heaven’s Gate Brings Star-Studded Video Art to Canberra

6 November 2025

The NFSA presents the Australian premiere of Heaven’s Gate, a spectacular video installation by internationally acclaimed artist Marco Brambilla. Free to the public, the work immerses audiences in a striking fusion of Hollywood glamour and contemporary culture.

Spring into cinema: a season of stars, stories and spectacle

12 August 2025

This spring, Arc Cinema at the National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA) invites audiences to dive into a rich and adventurous film season that celebrates the brightest, darkest, and most unforgettable moments of cinema. From loveable heroes and iconic villains to glamorous stars, heartwarming stories and striking cinematography, there is something for everyone in a program full of big-screen moments.

New installation Inferno by Mikaela Stafford blurs the line between physical and digital worlds

23 July 2025

The world premiere of Inferno, an immersive free installation by internationally exhibiting Australian artist Mikaela Stafford, will take place at the National Film and Sound Archive in Canberra from 22 August.

Warm up this winter: cult classics, exclusive events, and gutsy film festivals

13 May 2025

The National Film and Sound Archive’s 2025 Winter Film program offers a curated selection of classic films, retrospectives, and special events celebrating iconic performances, ground-breaking directors, and diverse genres.

All aboard for Autumn: A cinematic journey from trains to Africa, plus Cult Classics and Book Club

12 February 2025

Jump on board to explore the world of trains in film, from features made in the earliest days of cinema to critically acclaimed contemporary works.

Robin Fox’s Constellations to launch at the NFSA for Enlighten Festival

30 January 2025

The National Film and Sound Archive presents a free, immersive audiovisual experience from February 27, where sound, light, and space collide, offering a unique opportunity to experience Enlighten: Beyond both during the day and at night.

2024

Innovative program of dementia-friendly film screenings to launch at the NFSA in Canberra in Dementia Action Week

19 August 2024

The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA) will launch a three-year program of dementia-friendly screenings in Dementia Action Week 2024, opening with much-loved classic Strictly Ballroom. Titled A Day at the Movies, the program launch follows several years of research, extensive community consultation and a successful 2022 pilot. The research team of film and screen culture experts is led by Dr Jodi Brooks from UNSW Sydney.

Immersive Ghost Trees experience to headline National Science Week at the NFSA

1 August 2024

The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA) will mark National Science Week with the opening of a new audiovisual installation, inviting viewers to step inside the ‘digital memory’ of an endangered forest. Created by Australian artists James McGrath and Gary Sinclair, Ghost Trees brings together science, data and audiovisual art to offer a new way to connect to the natural world. 

Temple takes flight at NFSA in Canberra

28 March 2024

The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia is the next home for Temple, a stunning, free audiovisual experience created by Australian artists Leila Jeffreys and Melvin J. Montalban. Temple opens on Friday 5 April 2024.

2022

ELVIS arrives in the building at the Australians & Hollywood exhibition

7 November 2022

Items from Baz Luhrmann’s extraordinary biopic ELVIS have been added to the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia’s groundbreaking Australians & Hollywood exhibition, re-opening from tomorrow.

ELVIS leads the November highlights at the NFSA

24 October 2022

Baz Luhrmann’s extraordinary biopic ELVIS will screen at the National Film & Sound Archive next month to mark the refresh of the Australians & Hollywood Exhibition; Justin Kurzel and photographer Matthew Thorne join us for a special screening and Q&A of The True History of the Kelly Gang.

October is music month at the NFSA

6 October 2022

The National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA) will celebrate music all this month with a range of events, screenings and digital content showcasing the best of the archive’s musical collection. From Classic Australian albums, and renowned Australian composers and performers, to a blast of punk and our regular Vinyl Lounge, it’s a chance to get up close and personal with iconic Aussie music and musicians.

ELVIS is in the building at the Australians & Hollywood exhibition

4 October 2022

The costumes, designed by four-time Oscar-winning Australian designer Catherine Martin, and worn by Austin Butler as Elvis, Olivia DeJonge as Priscilla Presley and by David Wenham as Hank Snow will be on view in the NFSA’s blockbuster exhibition, which launched in January and will be open throughout 2023.

The Marvellous Corricks exhibition opens

29 June 2022

Opening this Friday 1 July at the NFSA in Acton is The Marvellous Corricks – a free boutique exhibition about the lives and careers of the touring family of ten who delighted Australian audiences with their vaudeville-style show.

Australians & Hollywood exhibition to continue throughout 2023

18 June 2022

The National Film and Sound Archive’s groundbreaking Australians & Hollywood exhibition will remain on show throughout 2023 following its successful launch in Canberra earlier this year.

2021

NFSA announces blockbuster exhibition celebrating Australia’s film-making success

3 August 2021

The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA) has unveiled its most ambitious exhibition to date, Australians & Hollywood: A Tale of Craft, Talent, and Ambition.

Photographer Mervyn Bishop to be celebrated with a new Canberra exhibition

20 January 2021

The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA) will celebrate Mervyn Bishop, one of Australia's most prolific and influential photographers, with a new exhibition opening in Canberra on 5 March.