Anthology Film Archives, Film archive and cinematheque in East Village, United States.
Anthology Film Archives is a film archive and cinematheque in East Village housed in a former courthouse at 32 Second Avenue. The building contains two screening theaters, a research library for film study, and a dedicated preservation department.
The institution was founded in 1970 by filmmakers including Jonas Mekas and Stan Brakhage to preserve independent and experimental cinema. It emerged to address the need for archiving films that mainstream cinema was ignoring.
The building hosts screenings focused on independent and experimental works that mainstream venues typically overlook. These regular programs have shaped how filmmakers and cinephiles in New York engage with cinema beyond commercial releases.
The facility is accessible and designed for film study, with research resources available on-site. Visitors should check ahead for current screening schedules and archive access hours before planning a visit.
The building itself was originally a 1919 courthouse that contained prison cells, making it an unexpected home for a film archive. This transformation demonstrates how cultural spaces can repurpose historic structures.
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