A silent comedy filmed in New Hampshire over a century ago has been rediscovered in Japan. The film, titled Van-ar-chy, will be showcased in early November in the state where it was originally created.
Discovery of Van-ar-chy
Kohei Okita, a film student from Sendai, Japan, stumbled upon the 1919 comedy while researching early cinema related to the term "anarchy." During his search, Okita purchased several old film reels from an antique store and discovered the comedy starring Billy B Van, an entertainer and filmmaker he did not initially recognize.
After conducting an internet search, Okita connected with John Tariot, an archivist specializing in Van's work. Tariot confirmed that the film was indeed Van-ar-chy, produced in the communities of Newport and Sunapee in New Hampshire.
