Cinephile Treasure: Coates Library DVD Collection

It has often been said that the greatest treasures can be found right under our noses. If you are a cinephile or just enjoy great films, than you will find heaven in the form of Coates Library's DVD collection. Found on the 3rd floor of the Library, the film collection has literally thousands of titles. If you were to watch one film from the collection a day, it would take you over a decade to get through all of them. Coates has all genres covered, from hard-hitting Hollywood action films to thought-provoking dramas. The Library also has one of the most impressive foreign film collections in the area. There are hundreds of foreign films in the collection. Will you find a stellar collection of chick-flicks or every action movie every made? No, in fact I would not be surprised if you have never heard of a significant portion of the films but that is the point. The Coates collection allows you to explore the vibrant world of cinema in a way that Blockbuster never could. I would suggest that you simply scan the stacks and pick out new titles that look interesting to you. Trust me, they have something for everyone. The DVD collection is literally a gold mine for those interested in film history. You can find films from the silent picture era all the way up to releases from this past summer.

 

Picture by Andrew Rieger   

The films are free to check out for all Trinity students. I have never checked out more than five films at a time but if you ask me, 5 films for 5 days free of charge is the best deal around. It is shocking how few people take advantage of the collection. The best part is the fact that the collection continues to grow each month. The University acquires around 5 to 10 DVD's per month and they are new copies, not beat up donation DVD's. They are also open to suggestions if you feel that there is a film that must be added to the collection. A few days ago, I went in to suggest that the Library pick up a copy of the recent award winning German film, The White Ribbon, only to find out that they already had it! The film experts at the Library are on top of it. If you are a lover off all things cinema or are just looking to broaden your movie tastes and sample foreign films, that the Coates Library DVD collection is a must see.

Picture by Andrew Rieger

Trinity University Coates Library Cinema Series - Fall 2010

This evening, Trinity University and Coates Library opened another excellent run of international films showcasing a range of interesting topics from talented directors from across the globe. Held at Northrup Hall in room 40, the cinema series will play an additional three films over the next three weeks at 7:00 pm each Wednesday night.

The cinema series opens with a French film titled Welcome, directed by Philippe Lioret. The film tells the story of Bilal, a 17 year old refugee from Kurdistan attempting to reach his girlfriend in England. Prevented from crossing the English Channel by French authorities, Bilal decides his only option is to swim across, a feat attempted by many but completed by few. Bilal decides to train at a local community pool where he meets Simon, a swim instructor who decides to help the boy as a means of mending his damaged relationship with his wife. The two develop  a strong friendship and take many risks in order to accomplish the unthinkable. You can see the trailer for the film below.



On October 13th, you can see A Call Girl which chronicles the downfall of a Slovenian prostitute who finds herself on the wrong side of the law after one of her clients dies while with her. This film is followed by the Israeli film Jaffa, which tells the story of an Israeli girl in love with a Palestinian boy and her father who suspects their plans to marry. The Coates Library Cinema Series will conclude with the Brazilian documentary Only When I Dance, which depicts the rise of two ballet dancers trying to leave the slum of Rio.

For more information about the Cinema Series, you can visit the official Coates Library page here: Coates Library Cinema Series