Cineclub Vrijheidsfilms

Nieuwe dagen
click on an image for a larger image

Cineclub Vrijheidsfilms has now transferred its film and video collection to the IISH.

Since 1966 Cineclub has been producing and distributing films and videos relating to the liberation movement world-wide. Cineclub itself was part of the Dutch liberation movement by supporting strikes and young workers' protest meetings, as well as by its solidarity with Surinam and actions against nuclear energy. Its mission was to create films about social abuse and make them available to a broad public. Cineclub reached the height of its popularity in the seventies, organizing many public debates and releasing films about May '68 in France, the Vietnam War, revolutionaries in Latin America, and the Palestinian liberation movement.

Srike in the port of Rotterdam, 1979

Vietnam week, 1971

The Main Enemy, 1975

One of the films they made was The Main Enemy (1974), by Jorge Sanjines from Bolivia, which featured workers, peasants, and students. It shows peasants and guerillas punishing a landlord and the subsequent army raids, which were supported by the US. This helps the peasants understand the nature of their 'main enemy'.

Vrijheidskrant, 1975

Cineclub published several periodicals, such as De Vrijheidskrant, which supported protest actions.
The collection consists of some 200 films (some of which were produced by Cineclub itself), 300 videotapes, a photo archive, correspondence, and many posters and leaflets.
The collection hasn't been completely arranged yet, it is therefore only partly available for research. For more information on access please contact the reading room: ask@iisg.nl

Copyright for the films and videotapes remains with Cineclub Coördinatiecentrum in Amsterdam (phone. + 31 20 625 0045) and/or the authors.