This collection of boxes, some of which bear the titles of Malay films, belonged to Shaw Renters (Singapore) Pte Ltd. Part of the Shaw Brothers - one of Singapore’s leading film businesses in the 1950s and 1960s. The cases are from a time when feature films were shot on celluloid. These boxes contained 16 mm versions of films produced in Singapore and processed in Hong Kong. These boxes were then circulated to various screening venues in and outside Singapore. They also reached rural Malayan estates where they could be screened outdoor and for an admission of 10-15cents. The company was started by Runme and Run Run Shaw, who arrived from Shanghai in the mid-1920s. By 1939, their business had expanded to a chain of 139 cinemas spread across Singapore, Malaya and the neighbouring region. With a strong experience in purchasing, distribution, exhibition and eventually production of films, the Shaw company played a major role in the entertainment history of Singapore.The film, Mata Hari (1958) was directed by Ramon A. Estella and featured the well-known Maria Menado.
