Journal of Film Preservation - FIAF
Journal of Film Preservation - FIAF
Journal of Film Preservation - FIAF
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Les Archives cinématographiques de<br />
Slovénie<br />
Les débuts de l’activité cinématographique<br />
slovène remontent à 1905, lorsque Karol<br />
Grossmann tourna quelques mètres de<br />
pellicule à Ljutomer. Par la suite, la cinémathèque<br />
slovène connut quelques périodes<br />
de production intense (Bester, Metod et<br />
Badjura dans les années 20; des réalisateurs<br />
amateurs dans les années 30). Avant la<br />
deuxième guerre mondiale, l’association<br />
Prosvetna Zveza et plusieurs techniciens de<br />
l’entourage du preneur de son Rudi Omota et<br />
de l’opérateur Mario Foerster, établit les<br />
bases de la société de production d’Etat qui<br />
devait voir le jour après la guerre : la Triglav<br />
<strong>Film</strong> Ljubljana.<br />
Avec la hausse de la production, augmentèrent<br />
aussi les besoins en conservation. En<br />
1964, le Secrétariat Slovène de la Culture<br />
tira la sonnette d’alarme : une grande partie<br />
des films tournés avant et pendant la guerre<br />
étaient détruits. Triglav <strong>Film</strong> déposa quelques<br />
films à l’Association Slovène des Cinéastes<br />
qui, par manque d’installations adéquates, en<br />
rendit une partie au producteur, déposa une<br />
autre partie à la Jugolovenska Kinoteka et<br />
confia les négatifs des éléments les plus<br />
précieux à la Banque Nationale.<br />
D’autres faits marquants de l’histoire des<br />
Archives Slovènes du Cinéma furent<br />
notamment :<br />
- L’intervention du réalisateur France Stiglic<br />
à l’Assemblée de l’Education et de la Culture<br />
au Parlement, le 18 décembre 1964, lors de<br />
laquelle il souligna l’importance artistique et<br />
historique du documentaire comme élément<br />
de l’héritage cinématographique.<br />
- L’adoption de la loi de 1966 sur les matériels<br />
d’archives et l’archivage qui prévoyait la<br />
création d’un centre d’archivage.<br />
- La création, en 1968, d’un département du<br />
cinéma à l’Office du Registre publique de<br />
Slovénie dont la fonction était d’enegistrer,<br />
collecter, conserver et sauvegarder les<br />
matériels cinématographiques et de les<br />
rendre accessibles aux utilisateurs.<br />
- Depuis 1968, les Archives Slovènes du <strong>Film</strong><br />
ont sauvegardé une partie importante des<br />
films qui y ont été déposés (56 films des<br />
années 30, jusqu’à 1950).<br />
- En 1975, la maison de production Viba<br />
<strong>Film</strong> déposa les bandes son des films produits<br />
entre 1955 et 1965.<br />
Dans la deuxième moitié des années 80, les<br />
Archives Slovènes du <strong>Film</strong> ont pu développer<br />
leurs installations et équipements. Les<br />
Archives Slovènes du <strong>Film</strong> ont été admises<br />
comme Membre Provisoire en 1993 et<br />
comme Membre de la <strong>FIAF</strong> en 1999.<br />
exhibition. We can admit that our film archive reflects the situation <strong>of</strong><br />
Slovene cinematography. Recently archival material <strong>of</strong> TV programs has<br />
been added to the material <strong>of</strong> the film companies. The Association <strong>of</strong><br />
Slovene <strong>Film</strong>makers has tried to establish a film archive several times,<br />
but failed either due to lack <strong>of</strong> funds or lack <strong>of</strong> space and the lack <strong>of</strong><br />
understanding on the part <strong>of</strong> those who could help. But the foundation<br />
<strong>of</strong> the <strong>Film</strong> Archive is indispensable, it should include every single<br />
element. The Archives should be an institution that functions according<br />
to the standards and rules which are effective for other archival services.”<br />
Since then, the knowledge <strong>of</strong> the significance <strong>of</strong> archival film material<br />
(documentary and artistic) prevailed in Slovenia. In 1966, a law <strong>of</strong><br />
archival material and archives was approved. This law categorically<br />
defines film as archival material. In this way the legal basis was put in<br />
place. In this period the archives together with other similar institutions<br />
were not qualified to acquire and store such material. The Slovene<br />
Archive is aware that film material, due to specific characteristics,<br />
demands special instruments and experts. They suggested that such<br />
material should be concentrated in only one place, i.e., in the Public<br />
Record Office <strong>of</strong> Slovenia.<br />
Due to the already mentioned critical condition <strong>of</strong> the film material the<br />
archive proposed three possible solutions: the main one was to find an<br />
appropriate place or institution for the maintenance <strong>of</strong> the material. The<br />
archive pressed for this solution to be adopted. Two other “black” ways<br />
involved disposing <strong>of</strong> the material to the Jugoslovenska Kinoteka in<br />
Belgrade. This would mean it would no longer be available to the<br />
Slovenes or it would be surrendered to destruction and incalculable<br />
damage. The reason for the archive’s extreme proposals was the fact that<br />
in spite <strong>of</strong> the law and its efforts no financial resources had been<br />
appropriated for its implementation and for the activities <strong>of</strong> the film<br />
archive. Two years later the situation had changed. The Community <strong>of</strong><br />
Slovene Archives had entrusted the preservation <strong>of</strong> film to the Public<br />
Record Office <strong>of</strong> Slovenia. A film department had been founded on the<br />
basis <strong>of</strong> the statutory provisions in 1968. Its main function was to<br />
register, collect, maintain and protect the film material from damage and<br />
destruction and to make it accessible to users.<br />
Although the legislation had designated film as an archival material it<br />
had not ensured complete protection because the producers were<br />
obliged to deliver original film material to the archive only thirty years<br />
from the time <strong>of</strong> origin. This applied to written material as well. The fact<br />
that Slovenia had no available storehouses that enabled safe storage <strong>of</strong><br />
inflammable and explosive nitrate film presented serious obstacles.<br />
A third problem was that <strong>of</strong> staff. In spite <strong>of</strong> everything the Slovene <strong>Film</strong><br />
Archive is the second oldest such institution on the territory <strong>of</strong> the<br />
former Yugoslavia, after the Jugoslovenska Kinoteka in Belgrade founded<br />
in 1949.<br />
Triglav <strong>Film</strong> agreed to the foundation <strong>of</strong> the film archive within the<br />
Slovene Archive. After the liberation, Triglav <strong>Film</strong>, the only Slovene film<br />
company, had taken possession <strong>of</strong> most Slovene films shot in the decade<br />
82 <strong>Journal</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Film</strong> <strong>Preservation</strong> / 58/59 / 1999