30 FTII student films restored with support of NFDC-NFAI

FTII registrar Sayyid Rabeehashmi said that to date, FTII has successfully completed the restoration and digitization of more than 30 films from their collection. “We are actively working on restoring and digitising other identified movies which are currently at various stages of digitization and restoration at NFDC-NFAI,” said Rabeehashmi.

Most of the important student productions, till around a decade ago, before moving to digital, are on celluloids. As cinema and screening technology is evolving, and filmmakers engage in debates of celluloid versus digital film production, in 2016, National Film Heritage Mission was launched to restore and digitise Indian cinema. It is today regarded as the World’s largest film restoration project.

FTII, since its inception, has conducted student productions exercises each academic year. “This endeavour represents a significant step in preserving the works of FTII alumni, who have played pivotal roles in shaping the cinematic landscape across diverse film industries in India. The digitization is also enhancing accessibility and longevity of the celluloid content,” said Rabeehashmi.

Rabeehashmi emphasised FTII’s commitment to preserving their celluloid collection. “Our vault continues to safeguard the collection of audio-visual productions in celluloid of alumni,” he said. But the preservation of celluloid films in the FTII vault is challenging as it requires maintaining 7 degree celsius temperature, and if it changes, the chances of fungus developing on celluloid increase. In the current restoration process, attempts are made to retrieve the parts that have seen growth of fungus.

In 2017, the only Indian film that made it to the 70th Cannes Film Festival, was the then final-year student Payal Kapadia’s studio exercise for the college.