Janus Turns 50

Fellini, Bergman, Hitchcock, Truffaut. Their names evoke the Golden Age of art-house cinema. Their films share the double-faced logo for the distribution company Janus Films.

Fifty years ago two movie buffs from Harvard University started Janus after founding the Brattle Theater in Harvard Square. Since then Janus has introduced hundreds of foreign titles to American audiences.

This month the Brattle is celebrating Janus's 50th anniversary by showing newly restored prints of Janus' classic titles but, as WBUR's Andrea Shea reports, staying afloat in the art film business hasn't been easy.

The audio for this story will be available on WBUR's web site after 10 a.m. Thursday.