Book Collector Cate Barton on the Creative Intersections of Cinema and Books

Our Bright Young Collectors series continues today with Cate Barton, one of the honorable mentions in the 2023 Honey & Wax Book Collecting Contest for women collectors aged 30 or younger.

Where are you from / where do you live?

I am from Tyngsboro, Massachusetts, a small town near New Hampshire. I am currently taking a gap year so I’m not fully settled. I’m based in Massachusetts at the moment but I will begin traveling through Europe and then Asia starting in March.

What do you study at University?

I studied Political Humanities with a minor in Law and a focus on Europe/Asia relations at Sciences Po in France. I will continue my degree next fall at Columbia University, likely pursuing a degree in Film and Media Studies. 

Please introduce us to your book collection.  What areas do you collect in? 

My current main collection is titled Film on the Page: Creative Intersections of Cinema and Books. This collection started with a focus on books composed of photos from specific films I liked. Over time, I discovered other types of books relating to film in different aspects including screenplays, storyboards, and book-to-movie adaptations (and vice-versa). Ultimately, I look for unique books which offer new insight or discoveries related to individual films. 

How many books are in your collection?

I believe my collection was around 20 books when I submitted to the competition and now it is likely around 25. 

What was the first book you bought for your collection?

The first book I bought for my collection was a book of photographs from Alfonso Cuarón’s film Roma. I found this book in great condition in the small book section of a music store in New Hampshire. Roma was a film I already knew about so I was immediately enchanted by the beautiful presentation of the black and white stills from the film. It was also satisfying to search the retail value of the book and realize I would be buying it for 1/10th of that price!

How about the most recent book?

The most recent book I added to my collection is a copy of The Red Balloon by A. Lamorisse. My Dad gifted me a hardcover which is composed of images from the set of the 1956 film. I was ecstatic to receive this book for my collection as this is a film I have enjoyed for years and the story told alongside the stills in this book format brought me back to the first time I watched it. I also especially like books about international movies because it is interesting to interpret the interpretation/translation from the original film if there is some. In this case the story in the book is in English from the original French film which actually has no dialogue at all. 

And your favorite book in your collection?

My favorite book in my collection is the book I have on the two Gregg Araki’s screenplays The Living End and Totally F***ed Up. This book is uniquely printed so that one screenplays read normally and the other is printed upside down and can be read from the back. I was immediately attracted to the aesthetic and uniqueness of this book. I didn’t know Gregg Araki immediately but after some research I realized I had seen a couple other of his films and I quickly fell into a deep research into the director himself, a trailblazer in the genre of New Queer Cinema. This book, ultimately, worked to introduce me to an entirely new genre of cinema and wealth of films which I am so grateful for. 

Best bargain you’ve found?

I would say the best bargain found is the copy of a collection of photographs and a description of the film La Guerre de Feu directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud. I found it for just 6 euros in a tiny bookstore near my old apartment in France which I frequented quite often. The book had a very interesting collection of photos from the film which I had never previously heard of as well as a transcribed interview with Anthony Burgess about the language invented for the film. I say this is the best bargain because upon researching this book when I got home, I was unable to find any other copies in existence online! My father even assisted and he was only able to trace one to a private library. I’m very grateful to have found this rarity that day. It’s a bargain which I can’t even seem to quantify.