Direct Cinema/Mitchell Block Collection

In September 2010, Mitchell Block deposited nearly 1,000 items from his distribution company, Direct Cinema Limited. Block created Direct Cinema in 1974 to work with independent documentary, animation, and live action short filmmakers. Direct Cinema has handled the marketing and distribution of over 60 Academy Award-nominated and –winning documentaries, shorts, and animated films. Among those winners are the documentary features “He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin’” (1983) and “Common Threads: Stories of the Quilt” (1989), along with the animated shorts “Sundae in New York” (1983) and “Tin Toy” (1988). The collection, consisting mostly of 16mm prints, also contains many negatives, including some camera originals.