Ernest Lindgren
Encyclopedia
Ernest Lindgren was a British film archivist and writer.
Lindgren joined the British Film Institute
in February 1934 as Information Officer, and became the first curator of the National Film Library in 1935, renamed the National Film Archive
in 1955. He remained curator until his death in 1973. He was succeeded by David Francis
.
Lindgren's approach to the preservation of film materials is often contrasted with that of Henri Langlois
, the founder of the Cinémathèque Française
; the scientific against the romantic. Unlike Langlois, Lindgren adopted a selective approach in opposition to accumulating every possible film. Along with Langlois though, Lindgren played a major role in the development of FIAF, the International Federation of Film Archives
. Lindgren's approach meant that no account of changes in fashion could be made. When the BFI published Missing Believed Lost (1992), and launched an accompanying campaign, it was forced to admit that some of the featured titles, all made during the nitrate era, had previously been rejected as possible acquisitions.
The Art of the Film: An Introduction to Film Appreciation, first published in 1948, went through several editions during Lindgren's lifetime. A Picture History of the Cinema appeared in 1960.
Lindgren joined the British Film Institute
British Film Institute
The British Film Institute is a charitable organisation established by Royal Charter to:-Cinemas:The BFI runs the BFI Southbank and IMAX theatre, both located on the south bank of the River Thames in London...
in February 1934 as Information Officer, and became the first curator of the National Film Library in 1935, renamed the National Film Archive
BFI National Archive
The BFI National Archive is a department of the British Film Institute, and one of the largest film archives in the world. It was originally set up as the National Film Library in 1935; its first curator was Ernest Lindgren. In 1955 its name became the National Film Archive, and in 1992, the...
in 1955. He remained curator until his death in 1973. He was succeeded by David Francis
David Francis (film archivist)
David Francis is a British film archivist. He was the second curator of the UK's National Film and Television Archive from 1974 until 1989, when he was succeeded by Clyde Jeavons...
.
Lindgren's approach to the preservation of film materials is often contrasted with that of Henri Langlois
Henri Langlois
Henri Langlois was a French film archivist and cinephile. A pioneer of film preservation, Langlois was an influential figure in the history of cinema...
, the founder of the Cinémathèque Française
Cinémathèque Française
The Cinémathèque Française holds one of the largest archives of films, movie documents and film-related objects in the world. Located in Paris, the Cinémathèque holds daily screenings of films from around the world.-History:...
; the scientific against the romantic. Unlike Langlois, Lindgren adopted a selective approach in opposition to accumulating every possible film. Along with Langlois though, Lindgren played a major role in the development of FIAF, the International Federation of Film Archives
The International Federation of Film Archives
The International Federation of Film Archives was founded in Paris in 1938 by the British Film Institute, the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, the Cinémathèque Française and the Reichsfilmarchiv in Berlin....
. Lindgren's approach meant that no account of changes in fashion could be made. When the BFI published Missing Believed Lost (1992), and launched an accompanying campaign, it was forced to admit that some of the featured titles, all made during the nitrate era, had previously been rejected as possible acquisitions.
The Art of the Film: An Introduction to Film Appreciation, first published in 1948, went through several editions during Lindgren's lifetime. A Picture History of the Cinema appeared in 1960.
Further reading
- David Robinson "Ernest Lindgren, 1910-1973", Sight and Sound, Autumn 1973
- "Mr Ernest Lindgren", The Times, 24 July 1973
- David Francis "From Parchment to Pictures to Pixels, Balancing the Accounts: Ernest Lindgren and the National Film Archive, 70 Years On", Journal of Film Preservation no 71, July 2006
- Christophe Dupin 2006. "The Origins and Early Development of the National Film Library: 1929-1936", Journal of Media Practice. vol. 7 no 3