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Swiss Film Archive

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Cinémathèque suisse
TypeNPO[1]
Legal statusPrivate foundation[1]
PurposeCinematheque[1]
Cinematography study centre[1]
National museum[1]
HeadquartersCasino de Montbenon
Location
Coordinates46°31′14″N 06°37′30″E / 46.52056°N 6.62500°E / 46.52056; 6.62500
Chief Executive
Frédéric Maire
Chairman
Jean Studer
AffiliationsInternational Federation of Film Archives[2]
BudgetCHF5 million[2]
Staff100 (total)
Websitecinematheque.ch/en
Formerly called
Archives cinématographiques suisses

The Cinémathèque suisse (Swiss Cinematheque), formerly the Archives cinématographiques suisses (Swiss Film Archive), is a Swiss state-approved non-profit foundation headquartered in Lausanne. It aims to collect, protect, study and present film archives.[1][3] The Swiss Cinematheque has its archives in Penthaz and a branch office in Zürich.

History

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Timeline

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With the support of the Kunstmuseum Basel, a group of admirers of independent films[2] founded the Archives cinématographiques suisses (Swiss Film Archive) in Basel in 1943.[4][5]

Subsequently, the Association cinémathèque suisse (Swiss Cinematheque Association) was created.[6] The archives were transferred to Lausanne to the Cinémathèque suisse (Swiss Cinematheque), co-founded by Freddy Buache in 1948 and inaugurated by Erich von Stroheim in 1950.[4][7] In precarious condition, the Swiss Cinematheque was located on Place de la Cathédrale [fr] in Lausanne.[2][6] At the time, it had no projection room.[6]

The Swiss Cinematheque was one of the first members of the International Federation of Film Archives.[2]

Claude Emery was the Swiss Cinematheque's first director until Buache held this position from 1951 to 1996.[7]

In 1981, the Cinematheque acquired and moved to the former Casino of Montbenon in Lausanne to establish itself in a better environment.[2][6]

In 1992, the Swiss Cinematheque began to store archives in a Penthaz building.[8]

The Swiss Cinematheque has been considered "one of the ten most important cinematheques in the world" by the International Federation of Film Archives.[8][9]

In 1995, the collection of the Swiss Cinematheque ranked sixth among the "most important in the world" after those of Bois d'Arcy [National Centre for Cinema and the Moving Image], Brussels [Cinematek], London [BFI National Archive], Moscow [Gosfilmofond], and Washington [Library of Congress].[10]

The Swiss Federal Office of Culture has been the foundation's primary funder with the City of Lausanne and the canton of Vaud.[11][12]

Hervé Dumont [fr; de] was its director from 1996 to 2008.[13][14]

In the early 2000s, a project was initiated to make the Penthaz site the first federal building dedicated to cinema.[8]

Dumont was succeeded by Vinzenz Hediger [de] in 2008.[15]

Frédéric Maire [fr] was appointed director in 2009.[16]

In 2010, renovation and expansion work on the Penthaz building began.[8]

Jean Studer, chairman of the Bank Council of the Swiss National Bank and lawyer, became chairman of the Foundation Board of the Swiss Cinematheque on 1 July 2016, thus succeeding Marc Wehrlin.[17]

Activities

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Filmmakers Jean-Luc Godard and Jean-Marie Straub were affiliated with the Swiss Cinematheque and maintained close relations with the foundation's members throughout their careers.[18][19]

The premises in Penthaz became the Swiss Cinematheque Research and Archiving Centre.[8] It was inaugurated on 6 September 2019 in the presence of Federal Councillor Alain Berset and Vaud State Councillor Cesla Amarelle.[8] The total cost was 50.6 million Swiss francs.[8] Located near Lausanne, in the canton of Vaud, the 13,000 square metres (140,000 sq ft) building properly stores hundreds of thousands of film reels and posters.[20] The archives are grouped on three levels in the basement of the Penthaz centre on an area of 5,300 square metres (57,000 sq ft).[8]

On average, 400 films are donated annually to the Swiss Cinematheque by filmmakers, distributors and collectors.[2] Around 15 to 20 films are restored annually by the involvement of the Swiss Cinematheque's staff, which includes 100 professionals, 75 of whom work full-time, as of 2023.[2] The 100 people working for the foundation are spread over three sites: Lausanne, Penthaz and Zürich.[3] About 50 people work at Penthaz, while the branch office is in Zürich and the seat is in Lausanne.[8]

Holdings

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As of 2019, the Swiss Cinematheque holds 700,000 reels, 85,000 films, 10,000 scripts, 26,000 books, 500,000 posters, 2,000 old cameras, 3 million photos and 1 million posters.[3][21] It also includes quantities of documents and other Swiss and foreign cinema objects.[8]

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  • Hervé Dumont was director of the Swiss Cinematheque from 1996 to 2008
    Hervé Dumont was director of the Swiss Cinematheque from 1996 to 2008
  • Frédéric Maire, director since 2009
    Frédéric Maire, director since 2009
  • Jean Studer, chairman of the Foundation Board of the Swiss Cinematheque since 2016
    Jean Studer, chairman of the Foundation Board of the Swiss Cinematheque since 2016
  • The Swiss Cinematheque Research and Archiving Centre in Penthaz
    The Swiss Cinematheque Research and Archiving Centre in Penthaz

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f della Pietra, Nicole (13 August 2011). "De la cave de la paroisse à la Cinémathèque suisse" [From the parish cellar to the Swiss Cinematheque]. Swissinfo (in French). Archived from the original on 1 August 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023. Bottom of page > scrolling table > Cinematheque suisse
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Simantob, Eduardo; Pisani, Carlo (28 July 2023). "The Cinémathèque Suisse turns 75, and film lovers can rejoice". Swissinfo. Archived from the original on 1 August 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "André Chevailler, Monsieur Cinéma Suisse" [André Chevailler, Mr Swiss Cinema]. L'Est Républicain (in French). 21 September 2019. Archived from the original on 2 August 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  4. ^ a b Gobbo, Stéphane (30 May 2019). "Freddy Buache, disparition d'un passeur" [Freddy Buache, the disappearance of a ferryman]. Le Temps (in French). Archived from the original on 30 July 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  5. ^ Marcorelles, Louis (5 November 1981). "L'inauguration de la Cinémathèque de Lausanne. Les enfants de Freddy Buache" [The inauguration of the Cinematheque of Lausanne. The children of Freddy Buache]. Le Monde (in French). Archived from the original on 30 July 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d Dumont, Etienne (28 September 2018). "Pully/Le Musée d'art présente des affiches de la Cinémathèque suisse" [Pully/The Art Museum presents film posters from the Swiss Cinematheque]. Bilan (in French). Archived from the original on 1 August 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  7. ^ a b Mandelbaum, Jacques (4 June 2019). "Mort de Freddy Buache, ancien directeur de la Cinémathèque Suisse" [Death of Freddy Buache, former director of the Swiss Cinematheque]. Le Monde (in French). Archived from the original on 30 July 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Les archives de la Cinémathèque se dévoilent" [The archives of the Cinematheque are unveiled]. Tribune de Genève (in French). Swiss Telegraphic Agency. 27 August 2019. Archived from the original on 2 August 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  9. ^ "Ouverture exceptionnelle de la Cinémathèque suisse à Penthaz" [Exceptional opening of the Swiss Cinematheque at Penthaz]. Radio Télévision Suisse (in French). Swiss Telegraphic Agency. 22 September 2022. Archived from the original on 30 July 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  10. ^ Salvadé, Christine (22 September 2007). "Cinémathèque: L'heure des choix" [Cinematheque: Time to choose]. Le Temps (in French). Archived from the original on 30 July 2023. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  11. ^ Rocchi, Ludovic (28 April 2015). "La Confédération resserre son étau sur la Cinémathèque suisse" [The Confederation tightens its grip on the Swiss Cinematheque]. Radio Télévision Suisse (in French). Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  12. ^ Danesi, Marco (8 December 2007). "La Cinémathèque cachée sous terre" [The Cinematheque hidden underground]. Le Temps (in French). Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  13. ^ "Cinémathèque: un successeur à Hervé Dumont" [Cinematheque: a successor to Hervé Dumont]. Radio Télévision Suisse (in French). Swiss Telegraphic Agency. 21 January 2008. Archived from the original on 30 July 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  14. ^ Duplan, Antoine (3 February 2021). "Hervé Dumont, gentleman cinéphile et 'Diderot du Léman'" [Hervé Dumont, gentleman cinephile and 'Diderot du Léman']. Le Temps (in French). Archived from the original on 30 July 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  15. ^ Salvadé, Christine (22 January 2008). "La valse-hésitation d'un directeur" [The waltz-hesitation of a director]. Le Temps (in French). Archived from the original on 30 July 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  16. ^ Duplan, Antoine (6 September 2019). "Frédéric Maire: 'Dans une cinémathèque, on réfléchit en années plutôt qu'en mois'" [Frédéric Maire: 'In a cinematheque, we think in years rather than months']. Le Temps (in French). Archived from the original on 30 July 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  17. ^ "Jean Studer présidera la Cinémathèque suisse" [Jean Studer will chair the Swiss Cinematheque]. Tribune de Genève (in French). 9 March 2016. Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  18. ^ Senff, Boris (30 May 2009). "La lettre à Freddy de Jean-Luc Godard" [Letter to Freddy by Jean-Luc Godard]. Tribune de Genève (in French). Archived from the original on 1 August 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  19. ^ "Le cinéaste Jean-Marie Straub est mort" [Filmmaker Jean-Marie Straub is dead]. Le Figaro (in French). Agence France-Presse. 20 November 2022. Archived from the original on 1 August 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  20. ^ "Suisse: la Cinémathèque s'offre un nouveau centre de recherche et d'archivage" [Switzerland: the Cinematheque has a new research and archiving centre]. L'Est Républicain (in French). 10 September 2019. Archived from the original on 30 July 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  21. ^ "'Ame de la Cinémathèque suisse', Freddy Buache est décédé à l'âge de 94 ans" ['Soul of the Swiss Cinematheque', Freddy Buache died at the age of 94]. Radio Télévision Suisse (in French). Swiss Telegraphic Agency. 31 May 2019. Archived from the original on 2 August 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
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