Wednesday, July 1 – Thursday, July 9, 2026
IFC Center
323 6th avenue, New York, NY 10014
Co-presented by IndieCollect and IFC Center, “Declaration of Independents!” is a 9-day salute to indie filmmakers who asserted their creative freedom during a formative era of American independent cinema.
Showcasing 20 films (four in new restorations from IndieCollect) spanning the years 1979-89, from daring narratives to boundary-pushing documentaries, the series spotlights artists who re-shaped cinema, revealing America through an independent lens.
We believe indie film is the lifeblood of an open society. IndieCollect was founded to Save Indie Film — to ensure the films remain discoverable and watchable today and in the future.
We advocate for all directors and all genres, but pay particular attention to films by women, people of color, and makers who identify as LGBTQ+.
Whether you’re a filmmaker or a film fan, stand up and tell the world that indie movies matter. You too can save a film — maybe your own.
Half of all movies made before 1950 were lost or destroyed.
Indie films make up the majority of films produced since 1950.
Most of them are orphans. They don’t have studios to ensure they survive.
If we don’t intervene now, the work of most American independent media makers will be lost to future generations.
We locate, identify and archive indie films — thousands so far and more all the time. Bring us your motion picture and sound elements so we can get them indexed and help you find a safe berth.
For celluloid, cold storage at a non-profit archive is ideal. If your film is in a digital format, it may be at even greater risk. Help us help you to protect ephemeral digital files
Working from original film and sound elements, we create state-of-the-art 4K digital restorations.
We have brought down the costs by doing all the work in-house on our own Kinetta scanner and with an in-house team of colorists on a non-profit basis.
In association with discerning exhibitors and distributors and the support of sympathetic journalists, we are getting these fantastic films to new audiences.
Nationtime and Cane River had never been released. Now they’ve entered the canon and are changing the way we view Black cinema and American cultural and political history.
To inquire about booking an IndieCollect Restoration please email us at admin@indiecollect.org.
