Historical Archives

A document collection of unparalleled wealth and interest for its content and breadth, the Historical Archives preserve unique and unusual items of the history of cinema: thousands of documents that bear witness to the life and activities of Italian and foreign silent and sound cinema companies, directors, screenwriters, actors and technicians. The documentation covers the entire span of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries and, more sporadically, the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries with evidence relating to the archaeology of cinema and photography. Funds, series and individual archival documents have constantly updated and digitised inventories.

Last inventory update: November 2018

Società Anonima Ambrosio's menu
Designed by Giuseppe Riccobaldi, with a portrait of Arturo Ambrosio
Ambrosio Fonds

Società Anonima Ambrosio's menu
Signatures of several Turin silent film stars
Ambrosio Fonds

The Brigand
Il brigante
by Renato Castellani, Italy, 1961
Screenplay used by Piero Cristofani’s assistant director
Screenplay collection

Bitter Rice
Riso amaro
by Giuseppe De Santis, Italy, 1949
Cover of the fim’s screenplay
De Santis Fonds

Il fuoco
by Giovanni Pastrone, Italy, 1915
Request to review the film, 1915
Itala Film Fonds

King Kong
by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, USA, 1933
Promotional film’s headed paper
Società Anonima Stefano Pittaluga Fonds

"Cavalletto Maciste"
Itala Film’s patent drawing, 1912
Pastrone Fonds

Cabiria
by Giovanni Pastrone, Italia, 1914
Gabriele D'Annunzio’s letter to Pastrone, Paris 1st January 1914
Pastrone Fonds

Fata Morgana
by Eduardo Bencivenga, Italy, 1914
Screenplay by Arrigo Frusta
Frusta Fonds

Psycho
by Alfred Hitchcock, USA, 1960
Screenplay with editing suggestions.
Screenplay collection

The Truce
La tregua
by Francesco Rosi, Italy - France -Germany -Switzerland, 1997
Film’s storyboard, drawn by the director
Rosi Fonds

Seduced and Abandoned
Sedotta e abbandonata
by Pietro Germi, Italy - France,1964
Screenplay used by script supervisor Myrta Guarnaschelli
Guarnaschelli Fonds

Services

Consultation

Archival documents can be consulted on Tuesdays by booking in advance by email (archivio@museocinema.it).
Access is free when taking out a membership card.
In the Reading Room, copies of the inventories and workstations to access the inventories published online are available.
The request for consultation shall be submitted to the staff by filling out the relevant form.
The Archive staff is available to assist the user in carrying out research, consult the inventory and select information resources on the Internet.
Workstations are available for the use of laptops, with power sockets and a free Wi-Fi connection.

Reproduction

Photocopying is not allowed, in particular for bound documents, scrolls, documents that are easily damaged or in poor condition, large documents and drawings.

Reproductions are free (without flash or tripods) for non-profit activities.

Reproduction of original materials by internal staff requires the payment of a different fee depending on the use, as specified in the price list.

It should be noted that in certain cases the Museum owns the original materials, but not the economic rights relating to the same and that the documents are bound by personal data protection rules.
The publication of images from archive documents is therefore possible only to an extent compatible with the existing laws on Copyright and Privacy policy. Otherwise, the applicant must obtain the necessary consent from those entitled, and in case pay the due amount, absolving the Museum of any responsibility in this regard.
The applicant must complete and sign one of the following forms and send it to the Archive, depending on the purpose of the request:

Authorization to publish

Reproduction for study or research

Authorisation for reproduction and exhibition

Loan of materials

The loan of original materials must follow the procedure requested by the Soprintendenza archivistica e bibliografica del Piemonte e della Valle d'Aosta, as detailed in the document:

Conditions of loan

Contacts

Mauro Genovese
tel. +39 011.8138.596
mail: genovese@museocinema.it

Mario Gromo Library / Mediatheque and Archives
Via Matilde Serao, 8/A - Torino

Historical Archives

Services

Founding Members

With the Contribution

Member

Partners

Mobility Partner

Technical partners Mole Antonelliana

Accessibility partners