Российский государственный архив кинофотодокументов

Archive was established in 1926. Until 1918 all film and photo documentation was in the private hands, mostly of the owners of private institutions (cinemas, photographic studios etc.). According to the decrees of Soviet authorities from 1918 and 1919, production and, registration of the cinematic items was tranfered to the state. All the film and photo production was concentrated in the IV department of the State Archive of the Russian Socialist Federal Soviet Republic and then transferred to the Central Archive of the October Revolution. From 1926 Archive started to receive cinema production of Sovkino, Proletkino, and various other institutions, as well as films stored in the other archives. In the years 1927 and 1928 for the purpose of storage of those films Central Archive of the October Revolution created special space. In 1934 this branch of the October Revolution Archive became Central Photo and Cinema Archive. In 1953 the archive was transferred into its current location. In 1967 the archive was divided into two separate institutions: Central State Archive of Voice Recordings of USSR and Central State Archive of Cinema and Photographic Documents of USSR.  

For the 01.01.2014 archive holds: - 246 410 cinema documents, 43 841 films, from which 2491 were recorded until 1917. - 1 146 270 photo documents, among them 177 693 album photos and 187 470 archival folders, 14 536 videophonograms, among them 6 829 archival folders. Among the various collections researchers may find scientific and popular films, film journals from the years 1910-2005, special films made in the years 1939-1945, film archive of the Czar family from the years 1896-1916, film chronicles from various other states, photonegatives referring to the history of Russia, Soviet Union and other countries.  

Archive holds documentation referring to the social, political, economical and cultural life of Russia, Soviet Union and foreign states from the second half of XIX century until the present day.