The Pacific Film Archive was conceived as an American version of the Cinematheque Francaise in Paris—a center committed not only to exhibiting films under the best possible conditions, but also to increasing the understanding, appreciation, and preservation of cinema through its study center, collections, and publications. The Pacific Film Archive houses over 15,000 films and videos, including the largest collection of Japanese films outside of Japan, as well as impressive holdings of Soviet silents, West Coast avant-garde cinema, seminal video art, rare animation, Eastern European and Central Asian productions, and international classics.

The PFA film and video collection includes more than 10,000 films and 5,000 videos made from 1894 to the present.

Due to copyright restrictions, film and video from the PFA collection may not be reproduced. The PFA collection is available for private research use within the parameters of the Fair Use clause of the U.S. Copyright Act; contact library staff for more information.