Film Library

Latin American/Latino Film Collection

The LACS Center hosts a substantive film collection (on VHS and DVD) about and from Latin America. This includes documentary, educational and historical films, feature-length films set in the region, Latin American and Latino music videos and original feature-length films by recognized Latin American directors (mainly from Mexico, Brazil and Argentina). The film library serves mainly class-room teaching purposes, but students are free to check out films for their own work.

We are currently working on modernizing our film collection by streamlining our check-out system, ascertaining which films can be viewed on streaming platforms instead, and organizing the collection to be more user-friendly in general. Our films are spread across two locations:

1. LACS Film Library (Social and Behavioral Sciences, 3rd Fl, Rm. N-337)

This is the principal LACS collection made up of feature films on the Latin American and U.S. Chicano experience, and documentary and educational films such as the PBS “Americas” series. Films are available for Stony Brook affiliated students and faculty only. Please contact Nicolas Allen, Assistant to the Director, at nicolas.allen@stonybrook.edu for access to a film. 

Go to the LACS Collection

2. PERMANENT RESERVE COLLECTION, Melville Library

These 25 LACS films were first acquired under a University ‘Diversity Grant’ won by Professors Kathleen Vernon and Cora Lagos in 1998. They are located in the Central Reading Room video collections of the main Melville Library (1st Floor). The LACS films are kept under the separate “Video Permanent Reserve” area behind the main desk. Approximately 30 other Latin-America-related films are also found in this collection, including the five-part “Caribbean Eye” documentary series and another teaching copy of PBS “Americas.” All students or Faculty with current University ID may borrow these films for up to two-days. Films may also be advance reserved for semester teaching dates.