ID :
147070
Fri, 10/22/2010 - 12:15
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http://m.oananews.org//node/147070
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Russia hands over 10 lost silent movies to USA
WASHINGTON, October 22 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia presented Library of
Congress with digital copies of ten lost U.S. silent films on Thursday as
gratitude for assistance in the creation of the all-digital library named
after the first Russian president, Boris Yeltsin.
The Library of Congress said it was "a major gift from Russia" that
would help the United States reclaim its silent-film heritage.
Vladimir Kozhin, head of the property and business administration of
the Russian president, officially presented the films to Librarian of
Congress James Billington in a special ceremony in the Library's Thomas
Jefferson Building. The films constitute the first installment of an
ongoing series of "lost" films produced by U.S. movie studios. They were
digitally preserved by Gosfilmofond, the Russian State film archive, and
donated via the Boris Yeltsin Presidential Library in St. Petersburg.
"The Library of Congress very actively helped us create the Boris
Yeltsin Library. They opened all doors to us and shared numerous
technologies and know-how. Today we are responding with electronic digital
copies," Kozhin told Tass.
He added the work will continue and both countries may also exchange
original artifacts.
"The Library is committed to reclaiming America's cinematic
patrimony," Billington said. "I am grateful to the dedicated staff of
Gosfilmofond for their efforts to save these important artifacts of U.S. film history."
He also thanked the Boris Yeltsin Presidential Library "for collaboration and cooperation in making this cultural recovery effort possible."
Because of neglect and deterioration over time, more than 80 percent of U.S. movies from the silent era no longer exist in the United States.
Preliminary research conducted by the Library of Congress indicates that up to 200 movies produced by U.S. movie studios of the silent and sound eras may survive only in the Gosfilmofond archive. Copies of these films will eventually be sent to the Library of Congress.
The presented films comprise The Arab (1924), Kick In (1922), The
Conquest of Canaan (1921), The Eternal Struggle (1923), You're Fired
(1919), Keep Smiling (1925), The Call of the Canyon (1923), Canyon of the Fools (1923), Circus Days (1923), and Valley of the Giants (1919).
Congress with digital copies of ten lost U.S. silent films on Thursday as
gratitude for assistance in the creation of the all-digital library named
after the first Russian president, Boris Yeltsin.
The Library of Congress said it was "a major gift from Russia" that
would help the United States reclaim its silent-film heritage.
Vladimir Kozhin, head of the property and business administration of
the Russian president, officially presented the films to Librarian of
Congress James Billington in a special ceremony in the Library's Thomas
Jefferson Building. The films constitute the first installment of an
ongoing series of "lost" films produced by U.S. movie studios. They were
digitally preserved by Gosfilmofond, the Russian State film archive, and
donated via the Boris Yeltsin Presidential Library in St. Petersburg.
"The Library of Congress very actively helped us create the Boris
Yeltsin Library. They opened all doors to us and shared numerous
technologies and know-how. Today we are responding with electronic digital
copies," Kozhin told Tass.
He added the work will continue and both countries may also exchange
original artifacts.
"The Library is committed to reclaiming America's cinematic
patrimony," Billington said. "I am grateful to the dedicated staff of
Gosfilmofond for their efforts to save these important artifacts of U.S. film history."
He also thanked the Boris Yeltsin Presidential Library "for collaboration and cooperation in making this cultural recovery effort possible."
Because of neglect and deterioration over time, more than 80 percent of U.S. movies from the silent era no longer exist in the United States.
Preliminary research conducted by the Library of Congress indicates that up to 200 movies produced by U.S. movie studios of the silent and sound eras may survive only in the Gosfilmofond archive. Copies of these films will eventually be sent to the Library of Congress.
The presented films comprise The Arab (1924), Kick In (1922), The
Conquest of Canaan (1921), The Eternal Struggle (1923), You're Fired
(1919), Keep Smiling (1925), The Call of the Canyon (1923), Canyon of the Fools (1923), Circus Days (1923), and Valley of the Giants (1919).
