Investigating the VHS collection at Vassar’s Thompson Memorial Library

I worked with Professor Augusto Hacthoun to inventory, investigate, and illuminate the Vassar Library’s collection of films by Cubans or about Cuba. We explored several avenues for developing our research, from scouring databases and studying copyright law to interviewing filmmakers.

We reviewed the library’s collection and compiled relevant films into a straightforward, searchable database. Nearly half of these films are on VHS, a format at risk of deterioration. Thus, I located distributors for DVD replacement copies and new films. I also gathered information on VHS preservation, which led me down a rabbit hole of studying copyright law. These sources will aid future efforts to maintain and expand the library’s film collection.

An interview with Michael Rubbo, the director of “Waiting for Fidel”

Moving beyond the library walls, we gathered information from film distributors, archivists, and filmmakers. We identified distributors selling films that could benefit the library’s collection. Certain films had no apparent distributor in the United States, leading us to contact sources such as the Instituto Cubano del Arte e Industria Cinematográficos (ICAIC) in Havana and the Academy Film Archive in Los Angeles. We also contacted and interviewed several filmmakers. These conversations centered on each filmmaker’s works, as well as the broader practice of filmmaking in Cuba. These interviews proved to be very enlightening, and one of the highlights of this project.

Professor Hacthoun and I having a lively discussion

After amassing information from countless sources and individuals, I compiled it all into an online resource. I created bibliographies and browsable film categories on topics such as Cuba’s Special Period and AfroCuba. With this guide, Professor Hacthoun and I hope to make studying Cuban films easier and more accessible, even to those with no background knowledge. We want to emphasize that these films can be used in countless academic fields, as the many film themes and topics indicate. Ultimately, we hope to spread the word about Cuba’s rich history of producing and inspiring distinctive, innovative, and perhaps most importantly, entertaining cinema.

Our online resource, “Cuban Films at Vassar College”, is available at https://sites.google.com/vassar.edu/cubanfilms/

Below is a short video detailing one of our many visits to the Thompson Memorial Library’s DVD and VHS collections.