Film Heritage Foundation has announced its first major initiative to save India’s cinematic heritage – Film Preservation & Restoration School India – to be held from February 22nd -28th, 2015 at Films Division, Mumbai.

Film Heritage Foundation is a not for profit organization set up in 2014. Recognizing the urgent need to preserve India’s cinematic heritage, the foundation is dedicated to supporting the conservation, preservation and restoration of the moving image and to develop interdisciplinary educational programs that will use film as an educational tool and create awareness about the language of cinema.

This is a pioneering initiative of Film Heritage Foundation in collaboration with Martin Scorsese’s Film Foundation, Cineteca di Bologna and L’Immagine Ritrovata.

The purpose of the school is to address current issues surrounding film preservation and restoration including practical training of current restoration and archival best practices by a faculty that includes some of the leading international experts in the field.

Given the colossal loss of India’s cinematic heritage and the fact that we continue to lose more of our cinematic history every day, this school is an important first step in our foundation’s long-term goal to create an indigenous resource of film archivists and restorers that will work towards preserving India’s cinematic heritage.

FILM PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION SCHOOL INDIA

– An intensive course including hands-on training in the latest techniques of film preservation and restoration by some of the leading international experts in the field

– Dates: February 22 – 28, 2015

– Venue: Films Division, Mumbai.

Indian Cinema – A Lost Heritage

– For a country that currently produces the largest number of films in the world — over 1700 films a year in 32 languages, our record of film archiving and preservation is abysmal.

– India made 1700 silent films of which only 5 – 6 complete films survive today.

– By 1950 we had lost 70 – 80% of our films including India’s first talkie Alam Ara

– No full-fledged film restorations have been done in India

– The school is the first step in the Film Heritage Foundation’s long-term goal to create an indigenous resource of film archivists and restorers that will work

PROGRAMME DETAILS

– The purpose of the school is to address current issues surrounding film preservation and restoration including practical training of current restoration and archival best practices.

– 40 students from India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan will be selected on merit.

– The programme will comprise daily sessions from 9 am – 9 pm over 7 days including screenings, lectures and practical hands-on lessons.

– Course content will include modules on film comparing, film repair, film scanning, digital restoration, colour correction, sound restoration and film mastering.

– The faculty will comprise experts from Cineteca di Bologna, L’Immagine Ritrovata, and the Film Foundation and filmmakers and guest lecturers from around the world.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

– Applications are open to India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Nepal.

– Application forms will be available online on the following websites from September 15, 2014:

www.filmheritagefoundation.co.in

www.film-foundation.org

www.cinetecadibologna.it

www.immagineritrovata.it

CERTIFICATION

On completion of the course, participants will be awarded with a certification as the school is internationally recognized and under the patronage of FIAF (The International Federation of Film Archives).

FIAF brinsg together the world’s leading institution in the field of moving picture heritage, comprising more than 150 institutions in over 77 countries. FIAF members are dedicated to the rescue, collection, preservation and screening of moving images.