Film reels in the Archives of North Vancouver collection. Photo: Alison Boulier

Do you remember the ritual of hauling out the family film projector to watch recently shot home movies – from the latest vacation, family event, or special occasion – and then rarely, if ever, watching those films again?

If you do, then Home Movie Day is for you. For the first time, MONOVA is excited to be participating in this international volunteer-run event on 17 October 2020.

Home Movie Day is an online video compilation of some of the Archives of North Vancouver’s collection of home movies, including tips from local moving image archivist, Colin Preston. Photo: C.Hagemoen

A Celebration of Amateur Filmmaking

Home Movie Day (HMD) is an annual event, held in local venues worldwide, celebrating amateur films and filmmaking. It was conceived as a community event in 2002 by a group of film archivists concerned about the future of all the home movies shot on film during the 20th Century.

Screenshot from Jack Cash family films.

At Home Movie Day events, members of the public are encouraged to bring their home movies (8mm, Super 8 and 16mm films and VHS), where trained staff can assess their condition and (if safe to do so) project them on the big screen to the group of attendees. This year, however, things are a bit different. Due to the pandemic, Home Movie Day has gone virtual.

For Home Movie Day 2020 (virtual edition) MONOVA will be screening a curated program of local home movies that have been acquired and preserved in the Archives of North Vancouver. We invite you to join us and take a trip back in time with the Jack Cash family on vacation, Lynn Valley Sports Day 1948, travel on the North Vancouver Ferry in the 1950s, and so much more.

Mini Movie Preservation Clinic

Saving the best for last, our Home Movie Day program will include a mini preservation clinic with local moving image archivist, Colin Preston. Drawing upon decades of expertise in film and videotape preservation with the CBC, Colin Preston will explain how to identify, preserve and care for your home movies.

Photo: C.Hagemoen

A Home Movie Day event is a way for the public to learn about the “archival advantages of film over video and digital media” and a great opportunity to meet their local film archivists. The Archives of North Vancouver have acquired dozens of film reels from individuals, organizations and societies from the north shore.

We are excited to join the Home Movie Day event, an international ‘celebration of celluloid’ designed to bring awareness to film and moving image preservation and an opportunity to watch some pretty cool home movies.

Click here to watch this year’s home movie collection.