ABSTRACT
Film restoration allows archival films to reach a wider contemporary audience without putting a high risk on the safety of the vintage materials in its collection. The workflow of a restoration involves complex technical knowledge which is not very widely or evenly spread around the globe. Until now the practices and infrastructure for film restoration in Asia and the Pacific are not very well documented. This chapter aims to portray the circulation of knowledge of film restoration in the region, as well as to contribute to the studies of film preservation and restoration beyond the institutional practices, taking into account community participation. Two case studies from Indonesia are discussed to reflect on different models of collaborations and restoration practices. The first is a 1954 film Lewat Djam Malam (After the Curfew), restored in 2012 through a transnational collaboration which reinforced the canonic status of Usmar Ismail and the idea of national cinema. The second is from 1953 film Aladin, a locally organized restoration practice finished in 2019 which made possible the interrogation of the national cinema canon by reintroducing Tan Sing Hwat, a filmmaker with migrant background who became marginalized due to his activities in the labor movement in the 1960s.
