Amateur films

Louis Estevez

1920–1973: travels captured on 16-mm colour film
10 hours - Pathé collection

A diplomat and eminent member of the Federation of Amateur Filmmakers, Louis Estevez produced many films between 1936 and 1960 .

These films are a strange mix of carefully filmed documentaries on the countries to which he travelled and home-movie-style sequences. His collection provides a rare insight into the idle life of a wealthy traveller .

Some examples:

Cuba in 1933 (black and white) and 1942 (colour):
Havana, bulky American cars and pin-ups on the beach.

Spain and Portugal 1940-41 :
surprising colour pictures of pro-Franco Spain, a portrait of Franco, and the rounding up of Falangists.

Other countries featured include India, Ceylon, the Netherlands and Kenya.