Journal of Film Preservation N° 56 - FIAF

sity film departments, divided into two parallel, complementary initiatives,
both organized on a one year basis: the initial training sessions (for
students with at least a three year course on film studies and for young
professionals) and the seminars/workshops for professionals. The basic
idea is to respond to specific training needs of film archives and other
professionals having to deal with the “film heritage” in whatever condition
(practical or theoretical). The main objective is to change empiric,
self-apprenticeship training systems into a real professional approach, or,
ultimately, to contribute to change an area of film activity into a real profession.
In the technical research area ACE archives launched the projects FILM
ARCHIVES ON LINE and ALL THE COLOURS OF THE WORLD, both
coordinated by the GAMMA Group (an independent group gathering
conservation/restoration experts of film archives and of film laboratories
dealing with research on these areas). The former is a three year project
co-financed by the E.U. Programme LEONARDO, aiming to create and
make available on a wide basis new training and research tools. The latter
is a shorter (one year) research project on tinting and toning techniques
and restoration co-financed by CALEIDOSCOPE.
Concerning the external representation, ACE has been in as many
European forums as possible, and has opened new areas of dialogue with
other professional film associations. On this level, we should stress the
presence on the annual Strasbourg Forum of European Cinema (the first
two years, 1996 and 1997), the meetings held in the context of the
Festivals of S.Sebastian and Berlin, the presence in the Eureka meeting in
Sitges last October 1997 and the meetings and contacts with FERA
(Fédération Européenne des Réalisateurs de l´Audiovisuel) namely in
order to discuss possible joint actions in favour of the preservation of the
film heritage.
Last but not the least, responding to the interest of its members, ACE
has now also opened dialogue with FIAPF (Fédération Internationale des
Associations de Producteurs de Films) in order to possibly achieve adequate
new models for the voluntary deposit of films in most countries..
Through all these activities, we are therefore consolidating the
Association as a growing, permanent continental structure for the development
of the preservation and valorization of the film heritage.
68 Journal of Film Preservation / 56 / 1998