Located in the district of Lavapiés, the Filmoteca Española is Spain’s national film archive that was created in 1953, responsible for collecting and preserving Spanish film heritage, to ensure its conservation and facilitate its dissemination. Films shown by the film archive can be seen at the Cine Doré, which also hosts presentations, symposia, seminars, round table discussions and conferences.
The Filmoteca is home to the Dolores Devesa Research Centre, which concentrates the library services (made up of books, journals, posters, photographs and press-books), documentary archive, film collections and museum collections from the Filmoteca Española, which boasts an important collection of sound registers and objects related to the history of film and pre-film, such as cameras, magical lanterns, zootropos, daguerreotypes, tintypes, shadow theatre, projectors, laboratory material and other apparatus that dates from the 17th century to the present day.
The headquarters of the Film Library was home to the film collection until 2014, when the Carlos Saura Conservation and Restoration Centre was created in Ciudad de la Imagen. When the collection was transferred, the building became the administrative centre of the Film Library and the headquarters of the Film Research Centre, which provides access to the library, museum, and archive collections.
The building is known as the Palacio del Marqués de Perales. Built in 1732 by Pedro de Ribera, the last representative of Madrid's baroque style, the main features of this building are the baroque facade with overlaid balcony, decorated with floral elements and flanking columns typical of this architectural style. The building has a square layout, arranged around several interior courtyards. In 1970, it became the headquarters of the National Newspaper Archive, and it has housed the National Film Archive since May 2002. In 1995, it was declared a Monument of National Interest.
CINE DORÉ
The Film Archive’s cinema is located at No. 3, Calle Santa Isabel. It shows films from different countries and periods, with reasonably priced tickets, from Tuesday to Sunday, except public holidays.
The modernist building was commissioned by Catalan businessman Arturo Carballo and inaugurated in December 1912, although the current façade dates from 1923, according to the project of architect Críspulo Moro Cabeza. It was refurbished by Manuel López-Mora Villegas in 1925.
The Cine Doré has two screens: screen 1 (reconstruction of the early Salon Doré) and screen 2, which is more contemporary in its design. It also has a restaurant-café.
CINE DORE SHOP/BOOKSTORE
On 17 May 2022, this little shop and bookstore covering an area of just 20 m2, dedicated to the sale of books and cinema memorabilia, once again opened its doors to the public. Located at No. 3 Calle Santa Isabel, this store has been closed for more than five years, during which time it has been fully renovated and refurbished. It can now be accessed directly from the street.
The store is managed by the same people who run El Buscón, one of the most important bookshops in the district of Chamartin, who want to offer the public not only books related to the world of cinema, but also works of literature and volumes of essays that have inspired cinema, as well as works by 20th century and contemporary storytellers, not forgetting the classics or children, who will have their own section.
The store also sells items related to films showing at the Filmoteca Española, such as posters, T-shirts, bags, mugs, and bookmarks.
The bookstore will also run regular events, book launches, and talks.
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