Film, the Living Record of our Memory

Name: Film, the Living Record of our Memory
Genre: Documentary
Released: February 27, 2023
Duration: 120 min
Cast: Ann Adachi-Tasch, Benjamin Chowkwan Ado, Janice Allen, Joseph Bohbot, Laure Adler

2023

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Film, The Living Record Of Our Memory

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Movie Details & Credits

Kino Lorber | Release Date: February 27, 2023 | Not Rated

Starring: Ann Adachi-Tasch, Benjamin Chowkwan Ado, Janice Allen, Joseph Bohbot, Laure Adler, Margaret Bodde, Peter Bagrov, Peter Becker, Steve Bloom, Tina Anckarman

Summary: Why preserve film in a world where audiovisual materials seem so readily available online? That is the key question posed in Film, the Living Record of Our Memory, which features interviews with film archivists, curators, technicians, and filmmakers including Costa-Gavras, Jonas Mekas, Patricio Guzmán, Ken Loach, Bill Morrison, FernandoWhy preserve film in a world where audiovisual materials seem so readily available online? That is the key question posed in Film, the Living Record of Our Memory, which features interviews with film archivists, curators, technicians, and filmmakers including Costa-Gavras, Jonas Mekas, Patricio Guzmán, Ken Loach, Bill Morrison, Fernando Trueba, Wim Wenders, and appearances by Martin Scorsese, Barbara Rubin, Idrissa Ouédraogo, Ridley Scott, and Ousmane Sembene. Together, they explore what film preservation is and why it is still so important to preserve celluloid, even in an increasingly digital world. Thanks to the tireless work of these film professionals, many of whom work unrecognized behind the scenes, we are still able to watch films that are more than 125 years old. This film pays tribute to their conviction that film holds our collective memory, and that access to film as it was meant to be seen may one day change a life. Film, The Living Record of Our Memory highlights the unique challenges of maintaining film, the cultural and political barriers to preservation, and the surprising risks of digital preservation. This work is critical because, as the film explains, so much of this heritage has already been lost forever.… Expand

Director: Inés Toharia Terán

Genre(s): Documentary

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 120 min

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Critic Reviews

Movie Nation Roger Moore

Mar 3, 2023

If you love movies and think you know the medium’s history, prepare to be overwhelmed. Read full review

Nicolas Rapold

Mar 3, 2023

For a documentary largely about archives, it should be better organized, but its breathless profusion of information underscores the scale of the task at hand. Read full review

Noel Murray

May 16, 2023

Though a bit overlong and lacking a strong structure, this frequently fascinating documentary nevertheless shows how cultural ephemera can bring the past to life, in ways both instructional and inspirational. Read full review

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Brent_Marchant

May 20, 2023

Film has become so pervasive in our society that we tend to take it for granted. From big screen blockbusters to intimate arthouse dramas and documentaries to home movies, we see these cinematic records of us and our world virtually everywhere we look. It’s a phenomenon that’s presentFilm has become so pervasive in our society that we tend to take it for granted. From big screen blockbusters to intimate arthouse dramas and documentaries to home movies, we see these cinematic records of us and our world virtually everywhere we look. It’s a phenomenon that’s present globally, too, one that spans all seven continents. And, because these images have been committed to a fixed medium, we tend to assume that these records will be with us permanently. But will they? As writer-director Inés Toharia Terán’s compelling new documentary reveals, that’s not an assumption we should make – indeed, far from it. This excellent examination of film preservation efforts is an eye-opening revelation, showing us just how much of film history has been lost through deterioration, censorship, careless management and even willful destruction – an estimated 80% of all silent films ever made and roughly 50% of those created since the invention of talkies. The documentary explores the reasons behind these tragedies, as well as the efforts that have been made to save and/or restore pictures that could have easily – or still might possibly – become lost without concerted initiatives to protect them. Terán’s work is particularly impressive from the standpoint of comprehensiveness, showing the impact that this effort has had on film collections from around the world, from all ages past and from all genres, including not only entertainment offerings but also documentary footage and even those designed to capture cherished personal memories. Through interviews with leading directors, archivists, restoration professionals and photographic industry experts, viewers gain an insightful new appreciation for why these celluloid records matter to us and why it’s important to make the effort to save them from neglect before they’re gone forever. Admittedly, some may find this offering a little overlong, but, in my view, better more than less when it comes to a showcase aimed at purposely illustrating the need to preserve these precious and otherwise-irretrievable materials. And, to its credit, the film does a fine job of keeping its narrative from becoming too technical, a noteworthy accomplishment for a subject that could easily become overly burdened by indecipherable jargon. “Film” is must-see viewing for anyone who loves movies and passionately desires to see as many of them curated as possible, making their continued existence available to posterity as a genuine living record of our memory.… Expand

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