Queensland man seeks new home for priceless 120-year film memorabilia collection

ABC NEWS (Australia)

A Queensland man is on a nationwide quest to find a new home for his priceless collection of film and movie memorabilia. Spanning over 120 years of cinema history, he hopes another movie enthusiast will preserve his legacy by taking in the extensive collection of equipment and souvenirs.

Transcript

00:00Kev Franzi is a walking encyclopaedia about filmmaking.

00:07The 94-year-old's property at Kenilworth in the Sunshine Coast hinterland holds a treasure

00:12trove of items he's amassed through decades of dedication.

00:16From a camera obscura to a working replica of a Lumiere cinematograph invented in the

00:26late 19th century.

00:31His father encouraged him to get behind the lens when he was a teenager, giving him this

00:35camera after a failed maths test.

00:37You don't have to be brainy to be a photographer, he suggested.

00:42He went on to work at a film studio in Melbourne where a cameraman showed him his first motion

00:47picture camera.

00:48He lit the spark of a lifetime's passion.

00:52Every filmmaker, producer, director, historian, so passionate he and his wife created the

00:58CinemaWorks Museum and Theatre.

01:0132,000 people came across our first 10 years to see our shows.

01:08They still hold monthly screenings for local film buffs.

01:12He's forgotten more than I'll ever know, he's just a wealth of knowledge.

01:16A university had been interested in taking over the collection but the deal fell through.

01:21Despite the challenges, Kev is still confident he'll find a home for all of this movie memorabilia,

01:27ensuring there's a sequel to his incredible story.

01:31It needs to be preserved because it is unique and there are some significant pieces.

01:37That set the scene for filmmaking through the ages.

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