【First year】
(1) Trouble in the Image: Experimental Film and Preservation
Workshop with Mark Toscano
Details: This workshop featured guest Mark Toscano, who works on the preservation of experimental films at the Academy Film Archive. In addition to the screening of representative American experimental films that Toscano was involved in restoring, he gave lectures on the realities of restoration based on a range of examples.
Date/time: October 2 – 5, 2023
Venue: Theatre Image Forum (Shibuya-ku, Tokyo)

(2) The preservation and utilization of experimental films in Finland and France
Details: Discussions on the realities and challenges of experimental film archiving with speakers comprising directors from overseas experimental film screening groups and distribution organizations. Joining the discussions were Emmanuel Lefrant from Light Cone (France), who took part online, and Tytti Rantanen from AV-Arkki (Finland). Both organizations carry out the preservation and archiving of experimental films while also actively engaging in the distribution and screening of works. In addition to insights gleaned from reports on the speakers’ activities, participants discussed future challenges and other topics.
Date/time: September 30 – October 5, 2023
Venue: Theatre Image Forum (Shibuya-ku, Tokyo)

(3) Case studies from overseas archive organizations
Details: The Los Angeles-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Film Archive drives a wide range of archiving activities such as the restoration and digitalization of film works, including experimental films. In addition to making an on-site visit to the Film Archive, Image Forum interviewed Film Archive head Mark Toscano about the realities of experimental film archiving. Image Forum also visited the Berkeley-based Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA), which is dedicated to the screening and archiving of experimental films. Image Forum interviewed and exchanged opinions with Kathy Geritz, former curator of BAMPFA, and current curator Kathryn MacKay about the current status of, and guidelines for, archiving activities. Image Forum also participated in a symposium showing works from BAMPFA’s experimental film program which have been restored and digitized by the organization. Image Forum also conducted interviews with related organizations and individuals.

Date/time: April 19 – 30, 2024
Venues: Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (Berkeley, US), others

【Second year】
(1) Experimental film restoration workshop (provisional)
Details: Workshops will be held on the restoration, digitization, and preservation of video works, predominantly film, with archivists and lab professionals as lecturers. The workshops will feature a combination of classroom lectures and hands-on laboratory work for participants to gain firsthand experience of the process of actual video preservation work.
Date/time: July 14 – September 8, 2024
Venue: Theatre Image Forum (Shibuya-ku, Tokyo)

(2) Screenings of restored works (provisional)
Details: As well as screening the works restored via individual activities set out in (1), there will be talks with the archivists, lab professionals, and others who gave the workshops.
These activities will be conducted as part of the film festival “Image Forum Festival 2024” being held by the Image Forum organization, thereby boosting publicity for the festival.
Date/time: September 29, 30, 2024
Venue: Theatre Image Forum (Shibuya-ku, Tokyo)

【Third year】
(1) Construction of an archive homepage (provisional)
Details: A website will be constructed to present the results of this project. In addition to featuring overviews, reports etc. of workshops and symposiums, the website will carry a database of works which was built under this project.
Date/time: October 1, 2025 – February 20, 2026
Venue: Image Forum (Shibuya-ku, Tokyo)

(2) Public symposium (provisional)
Details: A symposium will be held featuring archivists, film scholars, and lab professionals from Japan and overseas as speakers to reflect and recap on initiatives under this project.
This individual activity will be conducted as part of the film festival “Image Forum Festival 2025” being held by the Image Forum organization, and as such will offer the opportunity for interaction with Japanese film professionals, archivists, curators, audiences, etc.
Date/time: September 27, 2025
Venue: Theatre Image Forum (Shibuya-ku, Tokyo)

(3) Report and screening of project results (provisional)
Details: In addition to works restored through this project, works will be screened in multiple programs, introducing works restored by our organization in the past as well as examples from overseas. A teach-in will also be held by archivists and lab professionals involved in this project.
These activities will be conducted as part of the film festival “Image Forum Festival 2025” scheduled to be held by the Image Forum organization, thereby boosting publicity for the festival.
Date/time: September 27, 28, 2025
Venue: Theatre Image Forum (Shibuya-ku, Tokyo)