Big Backing

When the members of Mumbai Academy of Motion Pictures (MAMI) were curating for its Restored Classics section for the 15th Mumbai Film Festival,by going through the catalogue of Cineteca Bologna — the internationally recognised centre for film preservation and restoration — they spotted an unlikely Indian name behind restoring a Charlie Chaplin classic. The restoration of The Floorwalker,an iconic Chaplin film made in 1916,was said to be funded by none other than Amitabh Bachchan,prompting the members of the organisation to pick it up for the festival.

“Archiving and restoration is an important issue in Indian cinema that needs attention. We thought,by bringing this film,with Bachchan’s name behind it,it will inspire more people from our film fraternity to come out and get involved in the process of film restoration,” says Srinivasan Narayanan,Director,Mumbai film Festival. The organisation has invited Bachchan to present the film,although the dates haven’t been fixed. The schedule of the festival,that will be held from October 17 to 24,is yet to be finalised. The Butler,an American historical fiction drama loosely inspired by a real-life story,will open thefestival.