Contemporary Films, founded by Charles Cooper in 1951, was a pioneering force in bringing international cinema to the UK. Starting with short films for film societies, it quickly moved into features, distributing works by directors such as Ingmar Bergman, Satyajit Ray, and Andrzej Wajda. The company's influence peaked in the 1950s and 1960s, but it declined in the early 1990s due to changing industry practices, though it still operates today.