IFFI celebrates screening of seven meticulously restored classics under National Film Heritage Mission

Goa:23/11/23:Director Ketan Anand lauded the efforts of Govt. of India and NFDC in restoring classic films and said, “they have taken the print version and restored it, this is a remarkable technology and a tedious process that involves frame by frame restoration.” He was addressing a presser in the side-lines of 54^th International Film Festival of India in Goa today.Talking about the restoration of the film Haqeeqat 1 which was set against the premise of Sino-Indian War of 1962, Anand recollected, how the movie captured human side of the war and soldiers endurance against all the odds. He further added that his father’s work was not tampered and kept intact and its coloured version was screened at IFFI 54. “No one can take black and white away but the coloured version is for younger generation, to make it attractive for them,” said Anand. Ketan Anand also announced the making of a film, Haqeeqat 2 and a web series celebrating the legendary Dev Anand, next year.

“Due to lack of proper mechanisms we lost many prints of the films in the past”, said Vaibhav Anand. He highlighted the need for preserving the celluloid versions while explaining how it is a cost-intensive process. He further added, “moving to digital is better” emphasising the possibilities offered by digital technology while also acknowledging the need to preserve the celluloid version of classic films. Vaibhav Anand commended NFAI’s film preservation efforts, acknowledging the complexities involved and professional expertise required in the process.

Shri Vaibhav expressed that more festivals like IFFI may be organized to create more awareness about the old classic films. He highlighted how this will also provide a platform to the artists from the interior and remote parts of the country, having limited resources, to showcase their talent and get a chance in the film industry.

“The 54^th International Film Festival of India marks a momentous occasion as we come together to unveil the culmination of a collective endeavour — the screening of seven meticulously restored classics, all under the umbrella of the National Film Heritage Mission, generously funded by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting,” said Shri Prithul Kumar, Festival Director and Joint Secretary (Films), Ministry of I & B.

The National Film Heritage Mission stands as a testament to our nation’s commitment to preserving the invaluable treasures of our cinematic legacy. It is a journey that recognizes the significance of our cinematic heritage in shaping our cultural identity and fostering a deep appreciation for the art of storytelling. The NFDC-NFAI has been working on the restorations for the past several months where each and every frame is being restored meticulously. The objective is to preserve our cinematic history and the way we watch the content today, that is in 4K resolution.