The Cinema Context Database on Film Exhibition and Distribution in the Netherlands

A Critical Guide

Abstract

Cinema Context is an online database for researching the history of cinema exhibition and distribution in the Netherlands. It contains structured information on venues, persons and companies involved in the dissemination of film from the late nineteenth century until the present day, with an emphasis on the first half of the twentieth century. Aim of this paper is to document and critically reflect on the creation of the database and account for and motivate the choices made in constructing the data model and collecting the data.