ANN ARBOR, Mich., June 18, 2003 - ProQuest Information and Learning has re-launched Film Index International, created in cooperation with the British Film Institute, one of the world's leading centers for film research. Scholarly yet inclusive, Film Index International provides in-depth indexing to more than 110,000 entertainment films, covering 100 years of international films from silents to the latest summer blockbusters.

Whether users are curious about reviews of current Oscar winners, the production crew of an art-house classic or comparative plots of teen-screamers, Film Index International has the answers, with universal coverage of film in more than 170 countries from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. It is based on the British Film Institute’s Summary of Information on Film and Television. Film Index International was originally published by Chadwyck-Healey from 1993 to 1998 on CD-ROM.

Film Index International offers rich information for film scholars, the media industry and garden-variety film buffs. Quarterly updates ensure unparalleled currency. Its coverage dates back to the introduction of sound in 1930 and further back for filmmakers such as Charlie Chaplin, whose career spanned both silents and talkies. It includes nearly 7,000 films from the silent era.

The online database is essential for humanities libraries, complementing history, literature, music and performing arts resources, as well as an unmatched reference resource for public libraries. It is also an important research tool for professionals working in film, television and media, and the writers and journalists who cover the industry.

This indispensable research tool offers online access to:

• More than 1 million cast and credit references
• References to more than 500,000 periodical articles on films and filmmakers
• Searchable plot summaries of more than 110,000 entertainment films, including the ability to find films about specific subjects
• Profiles of more than 40,000 personalities who made the films
• Most of the films are feature films but there is also a wide selection of Hollywood entertainment shorts, documentaries and television movies from around the world
• Information on festivals and prizes, including the Academy Awards, British Academy Awards and the Venice, Cannes and Berlin film festivals

Users may search by title, date, director, cast and crew members, country of production, awards and synopsis keywords or any combination of those elements. Personalities may be searched by name, activity, nationality and awards. Boolean and proximity operators and truncation searching can be used to pinpoint results. Browse lists allow users to specify exact matching for searches of all indexed materials. Comprehensive Help screens can be accessed at any time.

Film Index International is an excellent companion to ProQuest’s American Film Institute Catalog, a parallel electronic database issued in cooperation with the AFI. The AFI Catalog covers American film from 1893 to 1970.

Both databases are available by subscription. Free trials are available. Libraries may receive more information by contacting their account representative at 1-800-521-0600, ext 3183 or 3452 (outside the U.S., call +44-1-223-215-512) or pqsales@il.proquest.com. Editors may call 1-800-521-0600, ext 6489 or email pr@il.proquest.com.

 

About British Film Institute

The British Film Institute was established in 1933 to promote greater understanding, appreciation and access to film and television culture. Its activities and services include preserving the world's largest collection of film and television material, and running the National Film Theatre, the British Film Institute London IMAX cinema, the London Film Festival and the British Film Institute National Library. It also releases films in cinemas and on video and publishes books and educational resources.  Find out more at www.bfi.org.uk.

About ProQuest
ProQuest creates specialized information resources and technologies that propel successful research, discovery, and lifelong learning. A global leader in serving libraries of all types, ProQuest offers the expertise of such respected brands as Chadwyck-Healey™, UMI®, SIRS®, and eLibrary®. With Serials Solutions®, Ulrich's™, RefWorks®, COS™, Dialog® and now Bowker® part of the ProQuest brand family, the company supports the breadth of the information community with innovative discovery solutions that power the business of books and the best in research experience.

More than a content provider or aggregator, ProQuest is an information partner, creating indispensable research solutions that connect people and information. Through innovative, user-centered discovery technology, ProQuest offers billions of pages of global content that includes historical newspapers, dissertations, and uniquely relevant resources for researchers of any age and sophistication—including content not likely to be digitized by others. Inspired by its customers and their end users, ProQuest is working toward a future that blends information accessibility with community to further enhance learning and encourage lifelong enrichment.

For more information, visit www.proquest.com or the ProQuest parent company website, www.cig.com.