Canyon Cinema is a San Francisco based filmmakers' cooperative specializing in the distribution of avant-garde and experimental film. The organisation was instigated in about 1960 by Bruce Baillie as an exhibition outlet for independent film1, and was formally established as a non-profit distribution company in 1967. Today Canyon Cinema stands alongside as one of the only major sources for prints of avant-garde and experimental film in America.

History

Canyon Cinema existed for a number of years as a 'floating cinematheque,' a series of informal screenings that were held in the backyard of filmmaker Bruce Baillie, and soon moved to the basements and backyards of other Bay Area artists and filmmakers.

In 1967 the founding articles of incorporation of 'Canyon Cinema Inc. (A Non-Profit Corporation)' named Larry Jordan as president and Earl Bodien as secretary. The founding directors were Jordan, Ben Van Meter, Robert Nelson and Bruce Baillie. After the first election the directors became: Jordan, Van Meter, Emory Menefee and Loren Sears.2 Bruce Conner was also associated with the cooperative at this time. 3 

For a more complete history of Canyon Cinema, please see Scott MacDonald's book, 'Canyon Cinema: the life and times of an independent film distributor', University of California Press, 2008, ISBN 0520250877

Current staff 

Antonella Bonfanti (Director)Seth Mitter (Collection Manager)

Board of Directors

Max GoldbergRebecca Meyers, TreasurerMichelle Puetz, SecretaryMichael Renov, PresidentSteve SeidJeffrey Skoller

Contact data

Canyon Cinema1777 Yosemite Ave Suite #210San Francisco, California 94124USA

Webpage http://www.canyoncinema.com Phone +1 415-626-2255Fax +1 415-626-2255

• 1. Scott MacDonald, Canyon Cinema: the life and times of an independent film distributor, University of California Press, 2008, p6. ISBN 0520250877
• 2. Scott MacDonald, Canyon Cinema: the life and times of an independent film distributor, University of California Press, 2008, p16. ISBN 0520250877
• 3. Barry Keith Grant, American Cinema of the 1960s: themes and variations, Rutgers University Press, 2008, p16. ISBN 0813542197