Since 2002, the Cinémathèque suisse has had a branch in German-speaking Switzerland, the Zurich Research and Archiving Centre, which has roots in the Catholic Church’s interest for the seventh art. With offices in Zurich dedicated to film since 1942, the Catholic Church also published the specialised magazine Der Filmberater. In the scope of this activity, documentary records were compiled, including press kits, leaflets, press articles and photos of films and organisations involved in the industry. These materials are now important historical records of Swiss cinema.
The paper archives are another key asset of the collection, containing working documents that filmmakers or production and distribution companies have deposited for long-term conservation. Zurich’s paper archives document Swiss-German arthouse cinema from the 1970s, as well as housing older collections, including the archives of Praesens Film AG, a production and distribution company whose operations date back to the 1920s.
Furthermore, the Zurich branch is also active in the fields of digitisation and mediation, and collaborates with other film and conservation institutions.