Essays

Alice Guy Blaché at Columbia University: One Hundred Years Later

Saccone, Kate

Earlier this spring, while rereading a portion of Alison McMahan’s book Alice Guy Blaché: Lost Visionary of the Cinema, I was reminded that, in the summer of 1917, Columbia University invited the eponymous film director, producer, screenwriter, and studio head to come give two lectures on the art of cinema. These lectures took place on the evenings of July 13 and August 3, 1917, two Fridays during the university’s notable Summer Session. Having been involved with the Women Film Pioneers Project for a while, I have always been aware that Guy Blaché visited Columbia at some point, but I knew nothing else and, admittedly, hardly thought about it. However, realizing that the centennial was approaching, I wanted to learn more. With no idea if there was anything more to even find (or what I was looking for), I began to dig. As you would expect, my small-scale archival scavenger hunt was ultimately one with infuriating absences, endless questions, and fascinating contradictions. It also was an exciting opportunity to reflect on
WFPP’s mission and its place within the broader history of film studies at Columbia.

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More About This Work

Academic Units
Film
Libraries
Series
Women Film Pioneers Project
Published Here
January 5, 2021

Notes

This file was updated on April 3, 2023. A link to the essay "Research Update: Alice Guy Blaché at Columbia University" at https://doi.org/10.7916/d8-hwn3-2928 was added.