Film:ReStored_04 – The Film Heritage Festival

Film sound

Alongside digitally restored films, the fourth edition of Film:ReStored will primarily focus on film sound. Historical sound formats represent a special challenge in terms of restoration. But the latest digital technology makes it possible to come as close as possible to the original sound.

New scanning methods

We will introduce new scanning procedures and examples from film history showing how sound has been used – ranging from shellac records to four-channel magnetic tapes, and from ‘Die Jagd nach der Million’ (‘The Chase After Millions’, GER, 1930, directed by Max Obal) to ‘The Flying Dutchman’ (GDR, 1964, directed by Joachim Herz). How does sound editing change a work? And how should different versions be assessed?

Audio description (AD)

Audio descriptions are now an integral component of many DCPs, as film heritage should be made available barrier-free. For this reason, the festival is also dedicated to inclusive access to (historical) films. We will review and discuss exemplary audio descriptions as well as the quality standards and challenges presented by silent and experimental films.

Digitization

As in the past, this year’s guests from international FIAF archives will discuss their digitization strategies and projects: The Polish National Film Archive (FINA) reports on the “Nitrofilm project”; the Kinemathek dedicates itself to Hans Richter’s experimental silent films and the Filmmuseum Potsdam together with the University of Zurich looks into historical magnetic tape technologies.

The awards ceremony of the Kinopreis des Kinematheksverbundes will take place on Friday, October 25th, followed by a reception and a short film program with musical accompaniment.