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The UCLA Film & Television Archive (FTVA) was recently honored for its leadership in film preservation by one of its peers and international partners, the renowned Cinémathèque française. This recognition was bestowed by way of a tribute showcase of films and film serials curated from FTVA’s collection and presented for European audiences at the Festival de la Cinémathèque, the Cinémathèque’s annual Paris-based festival.
“This tribute shows how far the Archive has come since its modest launch in 1965,” said May Hong HaDuong, FTVA director. “We are now the largest university archive of moving images in the world, and we regularly loan prints from our collection, including loans of more than 200 prints to the Cinémathèque française over the last two decades.”
FTVA’s preservation work has been catalyzed over the years thanks to significant philanthropy from foundations and individuals who share a passion for protecting and preserving motion picture and television history.
“Being recognized by the Cinémathèque française was a privilege that was made possible thanks to FTVA’s significant partnerships with The Film Foundation, the Packard Humanities Institute (PHI), and other important donors and partners,” said Jillian Borders, FTVA head of preservation.
Todd Wiener, FTVA motion picture curator, collaborated with the Cinémathèque’s team to program works for the showcase that represented FTVA’s diverse preservation program. Among the titles shown that were restored with the support of The Film Foundation: UCLA alumnus Charles Burnett’s The Annihilation of Fish (1999), which had its European premiere at the festival; the popular Mexican love story Enamorada (1946); and Abraham Polonsky’s Force of Evil (1948). All 13 episodes of the Flash Gordan serial (1936), restored by FTVA with support from PHI, were screened at the Paris event.
“Among the hundreds of titles restored throughout our rich history, this selection offered a representative snapshot of our collections, restorations and partnerships,” said HaDuong. “We owe this success to our dedicated team, but also to our partners and supporters–the broad selection offered at this festival is the perfect illustration of the powerful impact of their generosity.”