PANAJI: The old search for the last roll of the first Full Konkani film, Magacho Aunndo (love desire), has ended, after six rolls of films directed by Al Jerry Braganza recently handed over by his family for the film Foundation Heritage.
The family has also separated from the six rolls of Braganza’s second film, Sukhache Sopon (1966).
“The films are in a terrible condition because they are stored in hot and humid conditions for more than 50 years,” said filmmakers, archives and founders of the Foundation Director, Shivendra Singh Dungarpur.
Since 2015, the Foundation has continuously followed up with the Braganza family, asking whether they have further film material, they want to provide a foundation to rescue, to save the film.
“Finally this year, Sam Braganza, Grand-Nephew of Al Jerry Braganza, agreed to give us a material material that had been saved for years at his home,” Dungarpur Toi said.
It was director Nachom – he kumpasasar Bardroy Barletto who managed to convince Sam, following the cinematography where Keshav Prakash, who lived in Goa, agreed to check the roll of film.
Dungarpur said that his heart drowned to see the condition of the film on video calls.
“Some of them looked sticky, crooked and very fragile, and in many rolls it seemed like the picture was lost because Keshav described – the condition looked terrible,” he said.
Along with the rolls of the two films this is a 16mm film roll that still needs to be identified.
Reels carefully packed and sent to Mumbai via road, and is currently in the foundation archive, is being worked on by the conservators.
These films are a very important part of the history of Konkani, he said.
“This is a precious celluloid material because everything seems to remain from these two Konkani films.
There is no digital copy,” Dungarpur said, who took the initiative to save the trailer Magacho Aunndo after he was given a film a few years ago.
“It only underlines the importance of preserving our film inheritance in celluloid.
So much of this has been lost not only because of the general apathy, but also thanks to the misunderstanding that celluloid becomes obsolete in the digital era.” 300ft trailers restored by L’Immagine Ritrovata, film restoration lab on Bologna, Italy, where 4K scanning from rolls was taken after almost two years of treatment and intensive chemical improvement.
“This time, we will take care and repair at home.
This foundation has trained conservators who can work on films in their archives.
There is a lot of work to be done, and it will be a long and tiring process,” he said.
The conservators are preparing inspection reports and detailed conditions of each roll, disgraces damage and setbacks.
“They will then work on care plans and improvements for each film, including dehydration and rehydration of each roll needed, which must be monitored every day.
It’s too early to find out if we have a full film, and also, how much can be saved and Restored, “he said.
At present, the manufacturer throws celluloids as soon as the film has been scanned, does not realize that celluloid has a depth and resolution that still has to be matched with digital scanning, he added.
“Celluloid is the only archive media proven by the age of a century if stored in the right conditions, while the longevity of digital format remains unproven and not tested because data requires constant migration to a newer format with technology that changes rapidly,” he said .
“Original celluloid material is worth the weight of gold, which is why the Foundation of the Heritage film has collected more than 500 films on celluloid.
We continue to look for more, urging producers to deposit their films with us for preservation before it’s too late,” he said.