On 1 July 2018 it is 10 years since the NFSA became an independent statutory authority, with the commencement of the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia Act 2008.

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The passing of the Act allowed the NFSA to make its own decisions about: the shaping of the collection; the promotion of its activities; its engagement with the Australian people; its relationship with like institutions in Australia and internationally; and the management of both its personnel and resources.

The NFSA Board also met for the first time on 1 July 2008. An Indigenous smoking ceremony took place at the NFSA in Acton, where all staff gathered for the event. It was a defining moment in the history of the NFSA, which can be traced back to the creation of the National Historical Film and Speaking Record Library in 1935.

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At the time, this collection was managed within the Commonwealth National Library (now National Library of Australia).

Decades later, in 1984, the NFSA separated from the library, moved into its headquarters in Acton and established offices in Sydney and Melbourne. 

Learn more about the history of the NFSA and see highlights of our collection of 2.8 million items at the NFSA Timeline.