Every year, the member institutions of the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF) preserve hundreds of motion pictures, working together to find the best-surviving materials for each film. Spanning the history of the moving image, these preserved films are vivid reflections of the diverse cultures that produced them, making this annual MoMA International Festival of Film Preservation a tribute to the passion and commitment of film conservators and archivists around the world. The films in this second edition of To Save and Project were preserved through the collaborative efforts of FIAF archives, as well as commercial studios and distributors. Virtually all are having their New York premieres; some are shown in versions never before seen in the U.S. In addition, we inaugurate “Conservator’s Choice”: this year’s selection, Harry Hurwitz’s The Projectionist (1970), was chosen by its restorer, MoMA’s own Peter Williamson.
Organized by Steven Higgins, Curator; Joshua Siegel, Assistant Curator; Anne Morra, Assistant Curator; Samantha Safran, Executive Assistant; and William Phuan, Intern, Department of Film and Media.