Bolivia. To recover and digitize more than 7,500 titles comprising feature films from the 20s, documentaries filmed between 1950 and 1970, and numerous negatives, the Fundación Cinemateca Boliviana, FCB, uses a Cintel scanner from Blackmagic Design.
Established in July 1976, FCB is an organization dedicated to the study, restoration and preservation of Bolivian films, has been recognized in Bolivia for its transcendental contribution to culture and its dedication to the recovery, protection and preservation of the country's audiovisual heritage, as well as for its commitment to the dissemination of said heritage and public cultural education and training.
"Thanks to this scanner, we have had the opportunity to restore cinematographic content that, otherwise, would have been impossible to recover," said Luis Alberto Tapia, editor and technical post-producer of the FCB. "Here in Bolivia, there were no laboratories with the capacity to digitize 35 or 16 mm celluloids, whether positive or negative. All the restoration processes were carried out abroad, which entailed very high costs, from the recovery of the tapes themselves to their transfer, customs clearance, insurance and the risk involved in transporting historical archives."
FCB's first projects consisted of digitizing "The Presidential Inauguration of Hernando Siles", a historical film from 1925 filmed in 35 mm; the negatives of "Ukamau," an acclaimed 1966 feature film; "Yawar Mallku", a 1969 militant film; and several documentaries and newsletters recorded between 1953 and 1970.
"We love having the ability to scan tapes recorded in professional formats, as well as being able to preserve the material in digital files," Tapia explained. "We also appreciate the ability to digitize 16 or 35mm film in HDR to preserve the full dynamic range of the images."
Another advantage for the team is the opportunity to work in DaVinci Resolve Studio, the program of editing, color grading, visual effects and audio post-production, without using additional platforms. "For us, it is a great benefit to be able to carry out the entire process in the same program, from editing to color grading. We do not have to worry about the use of other tools, and consequently this allows us to reduce expenses and streamline projects, "said Tapia.
Looking ahead, the FCB team is confident that the Cintel scanner and the DaVinci Resolve Studio program will facilitate the achievement of their goals.
"FCB is committed to preserving domestic and foreign films so that audiences have the opportunity to learn and enjoy them," said Mela Márquez Saleg, executive director of the institution. "We are very pleased to be able to finally get this up and running and continue our legacy of cultural protection, artistic training and accessibility to art in general."
