Museum
Royal Film Archive of Belgium - CINEMATEK
Royal Film Archive of Belgium - CINEMATEK is a museum.
About Royal Film Archive of Belgium - CINEMATEK
Overview & Identity
CINEMATEK, officially known as the Royal Belgian Film Archive (French: Cinémathèque Royale de Belgique; Dutch: Koninklijk Belgisch Filmarchief), is the national cinematheque of Belgium. Operating as a public utility foundation, the institution is dedicated to the preservation, restoration, and public presentation of cinema heritage. It manages one of Europe's most diverse film collections, including feature films, documentaries, newsreels, and experimental works. Beyond its film holdings, CINEMATEK maintains a rich library of specialized books, magazines, press clippings, photos, and posters. The archive also manages film collections from Belgian government agencies and conducts advanced digitization and restoration work through its Digilab facility, which utilizes infrared technologies and restoration software.
History & Founding
The Royal Belgian Film Archive traces its origins to the 1930s, a period when the first film museums were established across Europe. The institution was created by experimental Belgian filmmaker Henri Storck, along with André Thirifays and Pierre Vermeylen, drawing inspiration from a film archive established in Paris two years prior. A pivotal moment in its history occurred in 1961 when Jacques Ledoux established the Film Museum within the Centre for Fine Arts. On December 10, 2002, the Museum ceased to exist as an independent non-profit organization and was fully integrated into the Archive. Following a period of temporary relocation and renovation, the institution reopened on January 31, 2009, under the new brand name CINEMATEK.
Building & Architecture
Since its 2009 reopening, CINEMATEK has been housed in a wing of Victor Horta's Palais des Beaux-Arts (now known as BOZAR) in Brussels. The renovation of this Art Deco building, carried out by Ghent architects Robbrecht en Daem, included the creation of two underground screening rooms: one seating 117 people and a more intimate space for 29. During construction, workers uncovered a hidden stretch of the city's thirteenth-century wall, which was preserved in the entrance hall as a historical reminder. The spacious foyer features eight suspended screens displaying film fragments, while the museum includes a 'Wunderkammer' (cabinet of curiosities) displaying vintage viewing devices such as Edison's Kinetoscope and Mutoscopes.
Collection Highlights & Notable Holdings
CINEMATEK holds a vast and eclectic collection, including the complete works of directors like Jacques Feyder and Marilyn Monroe. Notable archival discoveries include the 1934 anti-Nazi documentary 'Hitler's Reign of Terror,' produced by Cornelis Vanderbilt and smuggled out of Germany, which was found in a Brussels customs house in the 1960s. The archive is also renowned for restoring classics such as the 1920 German horror film 'The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari,' piecing together reels from Belgium, Italy, Russia, Germany, and Uruguay. The collection spans from early Lumière brothers footage filmed in Brussels in 1897 to contemporary Belgian cinema, with a particular focus on preserving forgotten gems and experimental works.
Significance & Challenges
CINEMATEK is recognized as one of the most important film archives in Europe, with a collection reportedly twenty times the size of the Dutch film archives. Despite its national importance and the high quality of its restoration work, the institution faces significant financial challenges. Directors have noted that its budget is comparable to that of Luxembourg, receiving approximately half the funding of the Dutch equivalent despite its larger collection. The reliance on National Lottery funding has been criticized for being unpredictable and unsuitable for long-term preservation planning. Nevertheless, the archive remains a vital cultural hub, screening approximately 40 films weekly and serving as a center for film scholarship and public engagement.