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Film collecting in The Netherlands

Starting from the 9th of December, the Geoffrey Donaldson Institute presents the exhibition Tot de laatste akte! (Until the last reel!). With this exhibition, the film institute in Noord-Scharwoude puts a spotlight on a special group of film lovers: the passionate private collectors of 16mm and 35mm film.

There are about fifty of these collectors left in The Netherlands; it’s a small world. Captivated by the magic of analogue film, they have saved countless films, projectors, posters, photographs and documentation from destruction. The medium has not only been under threat from vinegar syndrome and fire risk, but also from the distributors themselves. For years, it was the norm in The Netherlands to destroy (‘chop’) the films after their cinema run. Since the digitalisation of all Dutch film theatres and cinemas in 2012, the importance of their collections has therefore only increased.

The extraordinary collections of these private collectors will be shown to a large audience for the first time by the GDI. Numerous objects will be on display at the exhibition: cameras, projectors, photographs, articles and of course – especially – film. The exhibition will be accompanied by the book Tot de laatste akte! Film journalist Barend de Voogd was asked by GDI to interview nineteen private collectors about their life stories and their unique relationship with film. Photographer Marjolein Ansink caught the collectors in pictures.

The exhibition Tot de laatste akte! is open on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m., and entrance is free. The GDI is closed from Christmas day until Tuesday, the 2nd of January, 2018. The book can be ordered for € 29,90 (plus and additional € 8,30 for shipping), from info@donaldsoninstituut.nl and will be for sale at the GDI. The GDI is located at Dorpsstraat 612 in Noord-Scharwoude.

New Poster and Marquee

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Our new poster and Marquee, adorning the institute in between exhibitions (GDI: Exhibitions -Film shows – Study Centre), another glorious design by Piet Schreuders

 

SUMMER EXPO AND SCREENINGS!!!

Bettie Serveert singer Carol van Dyk posing with her selfmade dress she wore all of last succesful tournand also in the ‘Lovesick’ vid (youtube). The dress is on display in our summer exhibition dealing with Bettie Serveert, a Dutch indierock band that came to instant international fame with their first CD ‘Palomine’ and has been making music since 1991. The Betties visited GDI last Friday to have a look at the exhibits, see the GDI-film CREATURE FROM UNDER THE BRIDGE (2016) on the big screen and watch a two hour Bettie-compilation doc GDI volunteer Andre den Hartigh put together last month. The docu will be shown in two screenings Friday July 28 and Friday August 4, both screenings at 20.00. The exhibit will be accessible until August 9 Mondays and Wednesdays (NO Saturdays!) 14-17.00 (Photo courtesy of Rob van Dijk)

 

Everything breathes CINEMA

‘Everything breathes CINEMA here’ commented Gerda Peters on her first visit tot the GDI last Sunday. Gerda is the wife of film lecturer and festival programmer Harry Peters who will be donating his massive documentation archive to GDI later in the year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Upon their visit last Sunday, they already brought Harry’s extensive collection of film posters designed by the French Maitre de l’Affiche René Ferracci (1927-1982). Among these a copy of GARDE A VUE signed by Ferracci shortly before his demise. Together with the Ferracci posters already in our collection we now have some 200 of the approximately 1200 film poster Ferracci designed in his life.