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LICHTSPIEL - Kinemathek Bern (LS)

Since 2000, the Lichtspiel association is building up an archive for local film work and cinema history, based on the cinematographic collection of the Bernese cinema technician Walter A. Ritschard.

Since 2000, the Lichtspiel association is building up an archive for local film work and cinema history, based on the cinematographic collection of the Bernese cinema technician Walter A. Ritschard.

In the early summer of 2000, the association Lichtspiel took over the responsibility of the threatened cinematographic collection of the Bernese cinema technician Walter A. Ritschard, who died in 1998. Since then the Committee members have not only restored this extraordinary collection and made it accessible to the public, but have also developed a regional Cinematheque, which became a meeting-point for all film and cinema matters.

Regular film projections enable audiences to discover the variety and wealth of the continuously growing film collection. Since Lichtspiel opened, each Sunday evening two specially prepared reels of short films from our archives were presented, providing the diverse audiences with an exciting and entertaining glimpse of our collection. So far we screened about 2,000 films. Apart from these "Lichtspiel-Sundays", we also organise film cycles and retrospectives in co-operation with other European film archives. Our bimonthly "Bernese Reel" event offers local film producers the opportunity to personally present their work. On average, 35 people of all ages attend these screenings. Apart from the discoveries on screen, they can stroll through the impressive collection of cinematic objects and apparatus, enjoy the changing exhibitions, or discuss the films while visiting the bar. In addition there are about two private evenings weekly, when families, groups or firms can select a specially arranged film programme from our collection.

Our film archives, which are professionally stored in a special, refrigerated chamber, consist of more than 6,000 reels: news, trailers, publicity, documentaries, music films and other short films. Among them are rare and unique films, as well as many amateur films. One of our main goals is to preserve local film work and cinema history, and we hold the works of several Bernese film directors. Institutions, firms and private individuals regularly use our archives and our services.

Not only do we make our collection accessible to the public, but we are also pleased to share our specialised knowledge. We offer trainee places to students from the Department of Preservation at Berne University of the Arts, instruct projectionists, as well as organising courses in cinema history in co-operation with the local Popular University. In our workshop we restore and repair cinematic apparatus and offer, together with our extensive spare parts depot, a unique service.

So far, the Lichtspiel Association is only able to remunerate 150% staff positions (100% direction and 50% administration) in a workforce of 800%. A large part of the archiving, viewing and repair work is carried out by members of the Committee in their spare time, by unemployed persons and by young men doing their civil service. The Association's income is composed of approximately one-third each from public screenings, private evenings and members' contributions (600 members), as well as offered services.

LICHTSPIEL-Kinemathek Bern