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CINEMA CONSERVANCY INC
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 452928717 · Form 990EZ · FY2024 · NTEE A31 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Small ($100K-$1M) · conservecinema.org
revenue
$102K
expenses
$170K
net assets
$19K
employees
—
mission · from form 990

CINEMA CONSERVANCY'S MISSION IS TO SUPPORT THIRD WORLD NEWSREEL, D/B/A CAMERA NEWS, INC. AND INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF ITS CHARITABLE CLASS TO ENRICH FILM CULTURE BY PROVIDING PRODUCTION SERVICES AND CONSULTATION TO EMERGING FILMMAKERS AS WELL AS RESTORING, PRESERVING, SELLING, AND EXHIBITING AMERICAN INDEPENDENT FILMS, PAST AND PRESENT.

profile · synthesized from sources

Cinema Conservancy supports Third World Newsreel and emerging filmmakers by providing production services and consultation. The organization restores, preserves, sells, and exhibits American independent films, both historical and contemporary, making them accessible through digital platforms and bookings at arthouse cinemas nationwide. Its work centers on enriching film culture through archival and production initiatives.

named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Distribution and Exhibition
Releases and supports the distribution of films through digital platforms and facilitates bookings at arthouse cinemas across the country.
Film Restoration and Preservation
Restores and preserves American independent films, including historical works like Little Fugitive and Stations of the Elevated, ensuring long-term accessibility.
Production Support
Provides production services and consultation to emerging filmmakers, supporting the creation of independent films such as Hermia & Helena, Peter and the Farm, and For the Plasma.
activities · 6 groups

What they do

  • Archival Digitization and Preservation 1 activity
    • Capacity-building through archival collaboration
      Supports film preservation efforts through funding and collaborative partnerships with institutions such as the Yale Film Archive, enhancing institutional capacity to preserve culturally significant works.
  • Film Distribution and Screening Programs 1 activity
    • Distribution of restored and independent films
      Releases and supports the distribution of restored and independent films, ensuring digital access and availability for booking by arthouse cinemas nationwide.
  • Documentary Film Production 1 activity
    • Film production and co-production
      Produces and co-produces independent films, including Video Heaven (directed by Alex Ross Perry), Hermia and Helena (by Matías Piñiero), and Dream of a City and Free Time (by Manfred Kirchheimer), often providing full production support and post-production services.
  • Film Production Funding and Fiscal Sponsorship 1 activity
    • Grantmaking for independent film projects
      Funds independent film productions and creative projects, including Rodney Evans’ Vision Portraits and Tony Stone’s Peter and the Farm.
  • Film Festival and Screening Programming 1 activity
    • Theatrical re-release and exhibition of independent films
      Organizes curated theatrical re-releases and nomadic exhibitions of independent and restored films, including works by the Hubleys, Jamel Shabazz, and films from the Black/African diaspora, primarily in Brooklyn and surrounding communities.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Film preservation and restoration
      Facilitates and financially supports the preservation and restoration of American independent films, including titles such as Nothing But a Man (1964), The Student Nurses (1970), and James Baldwin: From Another Place, often in collaboration with archives and cultural institutions.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$102K
Contributions & grants$100K98%
Program service revenue$2K2%
Investment income——
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$170K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$55K
Grants paid out$15K
balance sheet
Total assets$20K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$19K
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -10.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 2
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
ANDREW ADAIR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40 $40K
JAKE PERLIN VICE PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR 25 $12K
board members · 4
  • HUNTER GRAY — TREASURER/SECRETARY/DIRECTOR
  • JONATHAN REICHMAN — DIRECTOR
  • PHILLIPP ENGELHORN — DIRECTOR
  • SEYMOUR BURGESS — VICE PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR
relationships · 15

Who they work with

  • Cinereach Partner — Philipp Engelhorn, founder of Cinereach and board member of Cinema Conservancy, links the two organizations through shared leadership.
  • Factory 25 Partner — Sells the DVD/Blu-ray and original soundtrack for the film For the Plasma.
  • Goldcrest Post NY Partner — Provided sound finishing services for the film "Video Heaven."
  • Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP) Network — Philipp Engelhorn, a board member of Cinema Conservancy, serves on the board of IFP.
  • Kaktus Film Partner — Partnered to design and animate 3D characters for "This World is Not My Own."
  • Kino Lorber Partner — Distributes the film Hermia & Helena on Blu-ray and DVD.
  • Magnolia Pictures Partner — Provides video-on-demand distribution for the film Peter and the Farm.
  • National Film Preservation Foundation Funder — Provided financial support for the preservation of "James Baldwin: From Another Place."
  • OpenDox Partner — Collaborated on the production of "This World is Not My Own," including set design and integration of animated elements.
  • Oscilloscope Partner — Collaborated on the distribution of Manfred Kirchheimer's films via DVD release.
  • Sundance Institute Network — Philipp Engelhorn, a board member of Cinema Conservancy, is a Trustee of the Sundance Institute.
  • THIRD WORLD NEWSREEL d/b/a CAMERA NEWS, INC. Partner — Supported organization receiving services and consultation from Cinema Conservancy Inc.
  • The Criterion Collection Partner — Recognized in special thanks, indicating a professional relationship in film preservation or distribution.
  • The Luminal Theater Partner — Collaborative partner presenting curated cinema exhibitions of the Black/African diaspora in Brooklyn.
  • Yale Film Archive Partner — Collaborated on the preservation of "James Baldwin: From Another Place."
strategies · 3

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Access-Oriented Preservation and Distribution
    methodology: access_oriented_distribution
    By restoring and digitally distributing independent and historical films, we ensure lasting public access because preservation without distribution limits cultural impact, and wide availability amplifies reach and educational value.
  • Integrated Support Model for Independent Cinema
    methodology: integrated_film_support
    By combining production, preservation, exhibition, and financial/consultative support, we sustain and expand access to American independent films because holistic intervention strengthens the entire ecosystem of film culture, rather than isolated components.
  • Shared-Audience Exhibition as Cultural Engagement
    methodology: shared_audience_experience
    By presenting films in collective, shared-audience settings, we increase public engagement with Black and African diasporic filmmakers' work because communal viewing fosters deeper cultural connection and accessibility compared to isolated streaming or time-bound festivals.