From opening to final curtain call: A visual timeline of The Projector

Rising costs, shifting audience habits and faltering cinema attendance have left the indie outfit with ‘no viable path forward’

Therese Soh
Published Tue, Aug 19, 2025 · 05:32 PM
    • Seats at The Projector (pictured). The independent picture house will close its doors on Aug 19, having survived the pandemic and the looming threat of a potential en bloc sale of its original Golden Mile Tower site.
    • Seats at The Projector (pictured). The independent picture house will close its doors on Aug 19, having survived the pandemic and the looming threat of a potential en bloc sale of its original Golden Mile Tower site. PHOTO: BT FILE

    [SINGAPORE] ART house cinema The Projector announced on Tuesday (Aug 19) that it will wind down operations immediately, citing industry challenges.

    Just this January, the independent picture house marked 10 years of business, having weathered the pandemic and the looming threat of a potential en bloc sale of its original Golden Mile Tower site.

    However, cost pressures, shifting audience habits and faltering cinema attendance have left it with “no viable path forward”, The Projector said in a media statement.

    The news follows the closure of several Cathay Cineplexes outlets, as the cinema chain’s parent company mm2 Asia is considering shuttering the movie business entirely amid financial challenges.

    Known for its eclectic fare – with screenings running the gamut from alternative films to mainstream blockbusters, alongside foreign and local movies – The Projector has built a cult following in Singapore’s cinema scene since it first opened, with many considering the indie outfit as something of an institution.

    The Business Times takes a look at its journey through the years.

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