Welcome to CriticalPast.

One of the largest royalty-free archival footage collections in the world.

100% Authentic archival footage — Source verified. No generative A.I.

Broadcast-quality clips, professionally transferred from documented archival source films. Licensed worldwide, in perpetuity, for all media. Available for immediate download in multiple HD frame rates and codecs, including full-resolution screeners.

CriticalPast serves the historic footage needs of television, film, documentary, news, and content creators around the world, 24 hours a day.

Specialties include World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam War, the Cold War, worldwide political figures, industrialization, culture, civil rights, transportation, aviation, and space.