These films must not disappear.

As a documentary film director, I have always searched for footage that is authentic — material no one has ever seen, that tells history from the inside. At some point I started collecting old reels, tracking down unknown filmmakers and their descendants to secure the rights and make the footage accessible.

This is the Archive of Strangers.

Exclusive, unseen and above all authentic — shot between 1925 and 1990 by unknown, semi-professional and amateur filmmakers worldwide, on Super 8, 8mm and 16mm film as well as video tape formats including Hi8, SVHS and DV. Their point of view carries the stories we tell today about that era.

The majority of films are copyright cleared and made available with the consent of the filmmakers or their descendants.