New Zealand Film Archive
Encyclopedia
The New Zealand Film Archive is a charitable trust dedicated to the collection, preservation and viewing of mainly New Zealand films and videos made between 1895 to the present day.
’s film and television history. Its main collections are based in Wellington
, where its premises feature a mini-theatre and gallery for regular exhibitions. It maintains a secondary office in Auckland
and video access rooms within host institutions in other provincial centres.
The Film Archive is a member of FIAF (Fédération Internationale des Archives du Film), AMIA (Association of Moving Image Archivists) and SEPAVAA (South East Asia and Pacific Audio-Visual Archives Association), and adheres to international standards of collection management, preservation and access.
Regular screenings of New Zealand films are held in the cinema, which is also available to community groups for screenings and events. As well as film and video, its exhibition programme showcases the work of contemporary artists and emerging filmmakers using video and computer technology, such as the online performance platform UpStage
. The Archive recently established a partnership with Illusions, New Zealand's moving image and performing arts criticism magazine, to create the magazine's web site.
In 2010, a collection of 75 previously thought to be lost films, were discovered in the archive.
The New Zealand Film Archive has a strong commitment to repatriating old films to their country of origin. In 2009, the archive agreed with the (American) National Film Preservation Foundation to repatriate 75 silent American films, all rare or previously thought by American archivists and scholars to be lost (the archive continues to hold many other silent-era American films). About 70 percent of the copies were complete. The films, all on highly volatile and dangerous nitrate stock, were to be shipped back to the United States for restoration and copying, except for Upstream
, a 1927 film by John Ford
, which was determined to be so precious that transportation could not be risked before it was restored and copied in New Zealand. Other films in the cache include "Mary of the Movies" (1923), the earliest Columbia Pictures
feature film known to have survived, "Maytime" (1923; starring Clara Bow
); the first surviving film Mabel Normand
directed (and starred in); an episode of the serial The Active Life of Dolly of the Dailies
, as well as industrial films, documentaries and newsreels. The agreement to repatriate the films came after an American film preservationist from the Academy Film Archive
visited the New Zealand archives while on vacation and began discussing the New Zealand institution's holdings with archivists there.
Background
The Film Archive was founded in 1981 to collect, protect and project New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
’s film and television history. Its main collections are based in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, where its premises feature a mini-theatre and gallery for regular exhibitions. It maintains a secondary office in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
and video access rooms within host institutions in other provincial centres.
The Film Archive is a member of FIAF (Fédération Internationale des Archives du Film), AMIA (Association of Moving Image Archivists) and SEPAVAA (South East Asia and Pacific Audio-Visual Archives Association), and adheres to international standards of collection management, preservation and access.
Activities
The growth of the Film Archive's collection depends primarily on voluntary deposits by filmmakers, collectors and the public. The collection is stored in a secure, climate controlled vault and conservation is undertaken where necessary. Most of the collection can be viewed via VHS or DVD at the libraries in Wellington and Auckland. A school disk loan library was initiated in 2006, to support screening programmes in the school curriculum.Regular screenings of New Zealand films are held in the cinema, which is also available to community groups for screenings and events. As well as film and video, its exhibition programme showcases the work of contemporary artists and emerging filmmakers using video and computer technology, such as the online performance platform UpStage
UpStage
UpStage is an open source server-side application that has been purpose built for Cyberformance: multiple artists collaborate in real time via the UpStage platform to create and present live theatrical performances, for audiences who can be online or in a shared space, and who can interact with...
. The Archive recently established a partnership with Illusions, New Zealand's moving image and performing arts criticism magazine, to create the magazine's web site.
In 2010, a collection of 75 previously thought to be lost films, were discovered in the archive.
American silent films
The archive has many silent American films that had been shipped to New Zealand at the time of their release, but were thought not worth the expense of shipping back to the United States after they ran in theaters. The films were supposed to be destroyed after being sent to New Zealand and seen there at the end of their distribution run, but some were stashed away instead, then later put into the archive. Only about 20 percent of films from the silent era were still in existence as of 2010.The New Zealand Film Archive has a strong commitment to repatriating old films to their country of origin. In 2009, the archive agreed with the (American) National Film Preservation Foundation to repatriate 75 silent American films, all rare or previously thought by American archivists and scholars to be lost (the archive continues to hold many other silent-era American films). About 70 percent of the copies were complete. The films, all on highly volatile and dangerous nitrate stock, were to be shipped back to the United States for restoration and copying, except for Upstream
Upstream (film)
Upstream is a comedy film directed by John Ford. A "backstage drama", the movie is about a Shakespearean actor and a woman from a knife-throwing act. The film was considered to be a lost film, but in 2009 it was discovered in the New Zealand Film Archive.It is considered the first Ford film to...
, a 1927 film by John Ford
John Ford
John Ford was an American film director. He was famous for both his westerns such as Stagecoach, The Searchers, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, and adaptations of such classic 20th-century American novels as The Grapes of Wrath...
, which was determined to be so precious that transportation could not be risked before it was restored and copied in New Zealand. Other films in the cache include "Mary of the Movies" (1923), the earliest Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
feature film known to have survived, "Maytime" (1923; starring Clara Bow
Clara Bow
Clara Gordon Bow was an American actress who rose to stardom in the silent film era of the 1920s. It was her appearance as a spunky shopgirl in the film It that brought her global fame and the nickname "The It Girl." Bow came to personify the roaring twenties and is described as its leading sex...
); the first surviving film Mabel Normand
Mabel Normand
Mabel Normand was an American silent film comedienne and actress. She was a popular star of Mack Sennett's Keystone Studios and is noted as one of the film industry's first female screenwriters, producers and directors...
directed (and starred in); an episode of the serial The Active Life of Dolly of the Dailies
The Active Life of Dolly of the Dailies
The Active Life of Dolly of the Dailies is a 1914 drama film serial directed by Walter Edwin. The serial was considered to be lost in entirety, until a copy of the fifth episode was discovered in the New Zealand Film Archive in 2010.-Cast:...
, as well as industrial films, documentaries and newsreels. The agreement to repatriate the films came after an American film preservationist from the Academy Film Archive
Academy Film Archive
The Academy Film Archive is part of the Academy Foundation, established in 1944 with the purpose of organizing and overseeing the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ educational and cultural activities, including the preservation of motion picture history...
visited the New Zealand archives while on vacation and began discussing the New Zealand institution's holdings with archivists there.