How We Started

Chicago Film Archives is a non-profit 501(c)(3) institution established in late 2003 in order to preserve and catalogue over five thousand 16mm films donated by the Chicago Public Library. Director, Nancy Watrous and a few devoted film archivists conceived a plan to create a regional film archive that will conserve, promote and exhibit Chicago and Midwest film history.

Where We Reside

In May of 2004, the CFA moved to its climate-controlled, permanent home at 329 West 18th Street in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago. There, the films were shelved, inventoried, and are currently being entered into a database designed specifically for CFA.

Building Legacies

As part of the ongoing expansion of its holdings, CFA has begun collecting amateur and home movies from people in Chicago and other regions of Illinois. This is a program that will shed light on a sector of filmmaking that can have great impact on perspectives of our historical and social selves as Midwesterners. To underscore this initiative, each August CFA sponsors the Chicago branch of the annual Home Movie Day, an international program that encourages the preservation and exhibition of home movies. In addition, CFA continues to acquire professional films that reflect our region’s history and culture as well as films that are expressions of our local filmmakers. We are bringing acknowledgement and discussion to the works of our local filmmakers while tracing the impact they have had in our local as well as national and international communities.

Preserving Our Past

CFA is continually applying for grants and other means of funding for the restoration and preservation of films that are central to our mission. Restoration and preservation of films typically involves removing scratches, dirt and warping from original film materials and creating a new negative and preservation print. Usually a tape transfer is created as well in order to allow the film to be handled and accessible to many people.

So Everyone Can See

CFA is committed to the programming of our films in ways that are fresh, provocative and have meaning for audiences in a variety of communities. We are intent on developing partnerships that result in expanded audiences and new dialogue.

Our Support Comes From You

CFA relies on the ongoing support of the Chicago and Illinois communities for its continued success. The Archive’s committed base of volunteers and professional Advisory Board have been essential to securing the films, acquiring additions to the collection, and showcasing the collection’s noteworthy contents. Several federal, state and city agencies as well as local and national businesses have donated funding to support our operations at Chicago Film Archives. Please don’t hesitate to call us to become part of this important and growing Midwest institution.