Mission

At the heart of Best Video Film & Cultural Center’s mission is the preservation of diverse narratives within our video archive, meticulously curated to capture the essence of our collective local, national, and international heritage. Complementing this vital endeavor, our space serves as a dynamic community hub and versatile performance space —a nexus where culture thrives, creativity flourishes, and connections are forged. We are dedicated to fostering creativity, providing a platform for dialogue, and building connections through the celebration of film, live performances, and community gatherings. We invite individuals to explore, engage, and be inspired by the stories that shape our shared human experience, all while enjoying the warm embrace of our coffee bar.

History

Best Video Film and Cultural Center (BVFCC) was created to preserve the rich video archive of Best Video—a legendary independent video store—and to explore new ways to bring people, film, and music together. BVFCC now operates as a valued community space serving Greater New Haven with its world-class film archive, performance space, screening room, and coffee bar.

Best Video Film & Cultural Center, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit, as defined by the Internal Revenue Service. That means that BVFCC is a public charity, eligible to receive tax-deductible donations from the public. BVFCC is a non-stock corporation governed by a Board of Directors.

Best Video, founded by Hank Paper in 1985, served the southern Connecticut community at several locations on Whitney Avenue in Hamden. On Nov. 1, 2015, after 30 years in business, founder Hank Paper sold the assets of the store to the recently formed non-profit Best Video Film & Cultural Center. BVFCC purchased the DVD archive in excess of 30,000 titles, comprising a wealth of classic, foreign, independent, cult, contemporary and children’s titles.