Ways of researching film at the State Library Victoria
Film (also known as cinema or movies) has been one of the main forms of entertainment worldwide since its inception in the 1890s. This medium has adapted to technological advances and in today's age of smartphones and the internet, people still want to watch films.
This guide has been developed to assist film and cinema research using the varied resources of our Library, both online and in print.
State Library Victoria holds a small collection of documentary, short films and feature films.
To check if we hold particular items, search our catalogue and use the 'Refine results by' options to filter results by selecting 'Video/DVD' underneath 'Resource type'.
These items can be ordered from storage and viewed on viewing screens within our Arts Reading Room.
Many local public libraries have very good holdings of films and tv shows, as do various academic libraries.
Other places that hold thorough resources (including very hard to find items) to view by appointment are:
The library subscribes to some streaming databases that are related to documentary and filmmaking in general. Please see the databases listed below (library login required)
View films from the communist world revealing war, history, current affairs, culture and society as seen through the socialist lens. Spanning most of the 20th century, the archive covers the USSR, Vietnam, China, Korea, much of Eastern Europe, the GDR, Britain and Cuba.
Note that the Library's subscription now includes content from Modules I, II and III.
Explore the lives of the late Victorians and Edwardians captured between 1895 and 1913 by some of Britain’s earliest film pioneers and innovators. Featuring film collections, as well as video interviews, exhibitions and essays by experts.
