Japan Experimental Film Database Project
*Information at the time of adoption.
- Name of the organization or individual
- Image Forum
- subsidy category
- Creation Grant
- Grant Type
- long-term
Reiwa 5(2023) Creation Grant Category III Projects that contribute to the improvement of the artistic creative environment [Long-term grant] [Single-year grant 1st term]
Business Overview
[First year project overview] (1) Problems with the image - saving the experimental film? Description of the workshop by Mark Toscano: Mr. Mark Toscano, who preserves experimental films at the Academy Film Archive, was invited to the workshop. He showed representative American experimental films that he was involved in restoring, and gave a lecture on the actual restoration based on various examples. Date: October 2, 2023 - October 5, 2023 Venue: Theater Image Forum (Shibuya-ku, Tokyo) (2) Preservation and Utilization of Experimental Films Finland and France Content: Directors from overseas experimental film screening organizations and distribution organizations will take the stage to discuss the current situation and problems of archiving experimental films. The participants are Emmanuel Lefranc of Light Corn (France) and Tutti Rantanen of AV-Arkki (Finland). Emmanuel LeFranc took the stage virtually. Both organizations are actively involved in the preservation and archiving of experimental films, as well as in the distribution and screening of their films. Based on the reports on their activities, we gathered insights and discussed future problems. Date: September 30, 2023 to October 5, 2023 Venue: Theater Image Forum, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo (3) Examples of overseas archival organizations Details of the survey: We visited the Film Archive Division of "Academy Motion Picture Arts and Sciences," which promotes archival activities such as film restoration and digitization of a wide range of film works including experimental films, based in Los Angeles, and interviewed Mr. Mark Toscano, the director of the division, about the current status of archival activities of experimental films. We also visited "Berkeley Museum of Art & Pacific & Film & Archive (Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive)," which promotes screening and archival activities of experimental films based in Berkeley, and interviewed Ms. Kathy Geritz, the former curator of the organization, and Ms. Kathryn MacKay, the current curator of the organization, and exchanged opinions on the current status and guidelines of archival activities. We also participated in a screening symposium of an experimental film program that was restored and digitized by the organization. Other relevant organizations and individuals were interviewed. Date: April 19, 2024 to April 30, 2024 Venue: Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (Berkeley, USA), etc.
[Outline of the second year project] (1) Experimental film restoration workshop and screening "Restoring the works of Kiyoshi Awazu" Content: A workshop on restoration, digitization, and preservation of film and other visual works was held with archivists and laboratory personnel as lecturers. As an example of the restoration work, Kiyoshi AWAZU's work, whose 'Kiyoshi AWAZU residence' was recently shown to the public, was selected. In order to experience the actual process of video storage, the workshop included classroom learning and actual work experience in the laboratory. In addition, the restored works were shown, and a talk show was held with the archivist who taught the lecture and people related to the laboratory. The festival was held as part of "Image Forum Festival 2024," a film festival run by our association, and it was also an opportunity to reevaluate Kiyoshi AWAZU's films. Date: August 8, 2024 to October 14, 2024 Venue: Theater Image Forum (Shibuya, Tokyo)
[Outline of 3rd year project] (1) Construction of archive HP (tentative) Content: Construction of a website to introduce the results of this project. Summaries and reports of workshops and symposiums will be posted, and the database of works constructed in this project will be made available on this site. Date: October 1, 2025 - February 20, 2026 Venue: Image Forum (Shibuya-ku, Tokyo) (2) Public Symposium (tentative) Contents: A symposium to review and summarize the efforts of this project will be held with Japanese and international archivists, video researchers, and laboratory personnel as speakers. These individual activities will be held as part of the "Image Forum Festival 2025," a film festival sponsored by our association, and will serve as a forum for interaction with filmmakers, archivists, curators and audiences in Japan. Date: September 27, 2025 Venue: Theater Image Forum (Minato-ku, Tokyo) (3) Presentation of the project results (tentative) Contents: In addition to the works restored in this project, works restored in the past in our association and works introduced overseas will be shown in several programs. We will also hold a teach-in session for archivists and laboratory personnel involved in this project. The event will be held as part of our association's upcoming "ImageForum Festival 2025" to promote the film more widely. Date: September 27, 2025 to September 28, 2025 Venue: Theater Image Forum (Minato-ku, Tokyo)
- Period of Activity / Project
- Venues
Profile
【 Image Forum 】
Established in 1971 as the Underground Center, it was renamed the Image Forum in 1977. Started cinematheque activities in 1972, showing mainly experimental and independent films. In 1977, he established the Image Forum Film Research Institute to train filmmakers while also distributing films. The film festival "Image Forum Festival" was started in 1987 and has continued to this day.