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ALT Films records

 Collection
Identifier: IWA0275

  • Staff Only
  • No requestable containers

Scope and Contents

The ALT Films records date from 1981 to 2002 and measure 4.17 linear feet across eleven boxes. The records are arranged in seven series: THE AMERICAN COLLECTION, CORA UNASHAMED, THE SONG OF THE LARK, THE PONDER HEART, A DEATH IN THE FAMILY, ALMOST A WOMAN, and BINDERS. The bulk of the collection deals with production documentation and script libraries from the five movies produced by ALT Films.

Dates

  • Creation: 1981-2002

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

The records are open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright held by the donor has been transferred to the University of Iowa.

However, copyright status for some collection materials may be unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owner.  Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility and potential liability based on copyright infringement for any use rests exclusively and solely with the user. Users must properly acknowledge University of Iowa Libraries Special Collections and Archives as the source of the material. For further information, visit the Special Collections and Archives website.

Biographical / Historical

American Literature on Television (ALT) Films was founded by Marian Rees, Anne Hopkins, and Stephen Kulczycki in 1997 to create five films in The American Collection as a part of ExxonMobil’s television series on PBS, Masterpiece Theatre, in celebration of their 30th anniversary. ALT’s productions for The American Collection would air on PBS between 2000 and 2003. The series had additional support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in the form of a website in partnership with the National Council of Teachers to allow thousands of educators to access their films for use in English classrooms across America. All films, per their agreement with ExxonMobil, would be produced in the US with American film talent including Regina Taylor, Peter MacNicol, James Cromwell, and many others. ALT Films would complete production and air all five films for The American Collection before funding to the program was eventually cut in 2005.

Extent

4.17 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

American film production company adapting famous works of American literature.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The records (donor no. 378) were donated by Marian Rees in 2006.

Related Materials

Marian Rees papers (IWA0273), Marian Rees Associates records (IWA0274).

Author
Andrew Newell, 2025
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Iowa Women's Archives Repository

Contact:
100 Main Library
University of Iowa Libraries
Iowa City IA 52242 IaU
319-335-5068
319-335-5900 (Fax)