Collect Films!

Our series Collect Films! focuses on private collectors and independent archives. In addition to the holdings of German film libraries, there are numerous collections that owe their existence to the initiative of private individuals or associations and reflect their particular interests and preferences. Their commitment enables a more diverse transmission of film heritage and greater accessibility, as many archives are increasingly limiting the distribution of analog copies. In March, we present the collection of Gari Vanisian.

Filmmaker, curator, author, and translator Vanisian began collecting film copies almost 15 years ago, at a time when the “digital wave” was sweeping over the cinema, and analog projection technology was being replaced by digital. Alarmingly quickly, a considerable portion of the copy stock in Germany was sold off at bargain prices. For Vanisian, collecting then and now means preserving precious treasures and making them accessible. Over the years, a thematically diverse collection of nearly 250 films on 35mm material and nearly 400 films in 16mm format has been assembled from various sources. Since the beginning of 2025, it has been stored in the archive of the KommKino Nuremberg.