On January 21, 2026, the Asian Art Film Festival Organizing Committee announced a strategic partnership with the China Film Archive (China Film Art Research Center). The collaboration will focus on the second Asian Art Film Festival, to be held in Macao in May, featuring a “Restored Classics” program that presents newly restored landmark art films from China and abroad, highlighting cinema’s enduring cultural value.

As the core of the agreement, the Asian Art Film Festival and the China Film Archive will jointly curate a Restored Classics program for the second edition of the festival, and establish a long-term partnership to promote restored films through touring screenings in the Greater Bay Area and overseas, extending the reach of classic cinema.

The Asian Art Film Festival Organizing Committee said it is honored to work with the China Film Archive to preserve and share China’s film heritage. The festival  in Macao in May will present both contemporary Asian films and restored classics, giving global audiences a chance to experience new cinema alongside the legacy of Chinese-language film.

A China Film Archive representative highlighted Macao as a historic crossroads of East and West and a unique stage for global art cinema. Through collaboration with the Asian Art Film Festival, restored films will reach audiences beyond the archives, showcasing the depth and contemporary relevance of Chinese cinema worldwide.

The first selection of restored films will include Chinese and international art films from the 1930s onward, with the full lineup set to be unveiled in April 2026.

(Translated by Luo Desai)