Lauro Escorel, Ewa Wawelberg, Rubens Ewald Filho and Maria de Andrade
The importance of film restoration is discussed at the Mostra’s Lounge
According to Ewa Wawelberg, technology applied in the restoration project of Joaquim Pedro de Andrade’s films was developed with high tech equipment. It took three years of non-stop activities, with forty professionals working 24h a day in three shifts. Wawelberg explained that the process begins with the film’s total digitization. Afterwards, it is meticulously restored, picture by picture. Such method helps to recover colors and eliminate defects caused by the pellicle’s deterioration. “Only with this process we can eliminate risks and deterioration marks caused by fungi”, says Maria de Andrade. According to Lauro Escorel, digital restoration is of great importance for preserving the country’s cultural heritage. “It is a dramatic situation. Even with Cinemateca’s huge efforts, there are too many films badly treated. The best of the digital process is that it can restore the film even if it’s way deteriorated”, he says.Another topic discussed in the debate was the ethical question involved in the process of film restoration. The big question is: how far can you go and alter the original work? In the case of the restoration of Joaquim Pedro’s films, the photography directors were called to participate in the project whenever necessary. As soon as there was a deadlock, there was a debate and the decision was democratically taken. “It’s a very complicated issue, because there are people who think that you shouldn’t even touch the photogram”, says Escorel.
30th Mostra Internacional de Cinema em São Paulo took over the diffusion of Joaquim Pedro de Andrade’s Films Digital Restoration Project, carried out by Filmes do Serro, by Cinemateca Brasileira and by TeleImage, sponsored by Petrobras and involving the Ministries of Culture and Foreign Affairs. It was the first time a high definition digital restoration was made in a complete filmography. The highlight of the retrospective is the re-release of the classic Macunaíma, which was chosen as the closing film of this Mostra’s edition due to its historical importance. The restored version of Macunaíma will be back on the screens next Friday, November 3rd, and soon enough it’ll have a DVD version.