Digital Film Restoration : Interview with Nabil Djedouani

Film preservation or restoration describes a series of ongoing efforts among film historians, archivists, museums and cinematheque and non profit organisations to rescue film stock and preserve the images they contain. It includes handling, duplication, storage and acces where the archivist seeks to protect the film and share its content with public.

"Archives Numériques du cinéma Algerien" is an independent alternative platform for the preservation of Algerian the cinematographic heritage, founded by Nabil Djedouani, a researcher, an actor and a filmmaker that graduated from Louis Lumière Lyon University in film studies. We had a conversation with him about his experience in digital film restoration, the technical side of his work, the importance of film preservation and the challenges he faces in his work.

As a film director, how did you come up with the idea of creating an independent digital platform to archive the algerian cinematographic heritage? What was the precursor of this idea?

During my film studies, I wanted to write about the Algerian cinema and I haven't found that much of bibliographical sources. The rare ones I found were for the most part books from the 1970s, while films from that period were inaccessible. Facing that reality gave me the idea to create a space where films and documents related to them would be available. I first started by creating a blog, then social media platforms appeared, which seemed to be a plausible option to share what I collected during my researches in the absence of resources.

At some point, there was this incredible YouTube channel named "Lunakhod", In which they shared audiovisual material from the National Television, they sort of paved the way and showed me that it was possible to collect archives. And this is how, twelve years ago "Archives Numériques Du cinéma Algérien" was created.

your work consists in researching, collecting and digitally preserving audiovisual formats like films, documentaries, press conferences, theater plays, concerts. How do you transfer films of few millimeters into digital carriers? Can you explain this part of your job technically speaking?

There are different types of digital carriers. In the beginning, I used to mostly work on transferring VHS content with simple material. As my work got professional and as I got access to different varieties of films (8mm, 9.5 mm, 16 mm, 35 mm, Betacam) I started working with professional material, such as film scanners. For instance, in the case of a film of 16 mm, the process starts with examing this latter in order to see if it should be repaired after being used and manipulated multiple times during its lifetime, this is physical or mechanical repair. It consists in fixing the film's joint lines and adding film or head leader in the two extremities (beginning and end) of the film. Afterwards, comes the cleaning step which requires certain products, it could be done manually or by using machines. Once all of these steps done, the film is ready to be transferred into a digital carrier by using a scanner in few minutes and turning the film into a 2k or 4k digital files.

Digital film preservation aims to preserve audiovisual supports in the long term to avoid their deterioration. What kind of filmic supports do you usually work with ( nitrate films, acetate, magnetic tapes)?

I mostly get hold of positive acetate films of 16 mm as well as amateur films of 8 and super 8 mm. I also happen to work with films of 35 mm, which are rare to find. And For the most part, digital film restoration has to be done on negative colour films.

i also deal with magnetic tapes as I am interested in music aswell, there are also VHS and films in Betacam forms.

film preservation refers to physical one by putting the film in an adequate climat and refers to the fact of restoring and making a digital copy the film's content. Do you do both or simply copy the film and return it the original copy?

my work consists of duplicating, making a digital copy of a film and sharing it online. At the moment, all films of my collection are currently in my space where all conditions of preservation aren't necessarily maintained because this requires resources I don't currently possess. Besides, ideally these films have to be physically preserved at a cinematheque whose main role is to preserve cinematographic heritage.

what type of challenges do you face in your work?

The main challenge I face is the difficulty of acces to films. The majority of old Algerian films were produced by the Algerian government, which makes them the exclusive depositary. having access to these films is complicated as they are preserved by Algerian institutions and whose negative forms are preserved somewhere abroad. That's why I mainly work with independent screenwriters and private collections holders, which are are.

it's only this year that I got to work In collaboration with the Algerian television, the experience surrounding Moussa haddad's Boualam zid el goudam was a very positive one, which i hope won't be the only one.

the other challenge I face in work is economical and financial as digital film restoration is an expensive process, where film scanners and softwares used happen to be extremely expensive for an independent initiative like mine, that not sponsored. However, the existence of likewise structures all over the world help build a support system where different parts share their expertise and material in digital film restoration that keep is going.

Can you walk us through the research process? Do you get contacted by different parties or do you digg on your own?

After ten years of working on this platform, I do get contacted by more and more people who want to share their archives so I can make a digital copy of them, which is fantastic!

In parallel, the research process has always been a huge part of my work where I explore filmographies, database, online selling websites. There is also an aleatory research process conducted in Algeria, during which I sometimes don't find anything, which is a part of the process aswell. I also meet with filmmakers' families, and dig in flea markets.

I for so long hesitated to ask people out of fear of bothering and ended finding out that most people are glad to share what they got.

as a researcher, if you had to explain the importance of preserving the Algerian audiovisual legacy in a world that is getting more and more digital where people are no longer relying on physical media, what would you say?

it is essential for multiple reasons. First of all, it represents an act of remembering and keeping a collective memory, whether it be films, documentaries, audio recordings, or capturing unique moments, history and struggles that made our identity.

these film archives are not just art, they are a testimony and a living proof of our history, culture and its diversity.

Nowadays, in a context where younger generations consume media mainly on social media platforms, streaming platforms and user generator ones, it's crucial to make that cinematographic heritage accessible to them on these platforms in order to contribute to connecting them to a heritage that might be still unknown.

Besides, transitioning to the digital world is not only an opportunity to preserve that heritage but also to share it aswell. For instance Physical media like pellicle films are vulnerable to deteriorating, with these digital platforms we can preserve and restore these films and allow their existence in the long term and make them accessible to a larger audience online.

All of that allows to integrate Algeria in the world map of cinematographic heritage and to inspire new creations locally and internationally. Digital film preservation is a tool used to avoid cultural erasure in a world where history and cultures can be easily erased and altered, it's imperative for us as Algerians to restore, maintain and save our recitals and narratives in their diversity and authenticity.

If you had to suggest 4 archives to watch on your YouTube channel that you digitally restored and that hold a great value. What would you choose?

The first film that comes toy mind is " à force de courage" by Pierre Falardeau and Julien Poulin, two filmmakers filmed local farmers in 1977, where the souvenir of the Algerian Revolution was still present as well as the wish of having a version of an Algeria where social justice is finally reigning.

I lately also watched the short film of Mohamed bouamari "l'obstacle", whose work I want to restore. This short film is a good one that Bouamari directed in 1965 that is about relationships between men and women in a post independence Algeria, starring a young Mohamed chouikh that is going to become a great actor and filmmaker later on.

A third one to suggest would be the most watched one in our YouTube channel directed by Mohamed chouikh himself, la citadelle, a very good film shot in 1988 in South Oran, whose main character is played by Khaled barkat, which is probably one of the most touching films in the Algerian cinema.

finally, I would suggest to watch scopitone by cheikha Remitti, which was a surprising one to discover, witnessing the priestess of the Algerian music in an exclusive footage, never seen before was one of the greatest gifts to be given in this adventure.

Besides, I might have forgotten some others but through these suggestions you will understand that it's these unexpected discoveries that I'm mostly interested to find and share.

Poster and interview by Yamina Hamidi