Kathmandu- From film shooting, post production to performance, digital technology is used. In Nepal, ‘Digital Yatra’ started with the production and screening of ‘Kagbeni’ directed by Bhushan Dahal and ‘Sano Sansar’ directed by Alok Nembang.
Filmmakers say that with these two films produced by Quest Entertainment in 2008, digital technology was introduced and the production was easy, organized and professional. With the digitalisation of technology, the Film Development Board has done digitization and restoration of old films for the purpose of preserving and protecting them.
Chiranjeevi Guragai, Film Museum, Information and International Relations Officer of the Board informed that the important films Aama, Ke Ghar Ke Dera, Badlindo Aakash, Jeevanrekha, Sindoor, Kumari, Manko Dam, Parivartan, Hijo Aaj Bholi and Shantideep have been digitized and preserved in celluloid technology.
Along with the digitization, the film has also been subtitled in English, the film’s reel has been restored (making the old one look like a new one). Restoration can be upgraded to AT K (advanced technology) or other advanced quality. We have also digitized 90 documentaries worth 15 hours produced with government investment,” he said.
During the restoration, the damage such as drawn reel, hole, sticking, etc. is made like new by working on every scene. After bringing it to digital technology, it is archived. In the first phase, the films made with the investment of the then Royal Nepali Film Institute and Ministry of Information have been digitized. After digitization, those films of 16mm and 35mm are in 2K and 4K (modern technology) formats.
According to the board, the process of establishing a film museum has been started to bring the history of film to the general public in Nepal. According to official Gurgai, among the South Asian countries, Nepal is the country that successfully digitized and restored after the neighboring country India. He said that digitization started when the concept of cleaning the reels kept in Nepal Television and archiving them in the board was brought to the initiative of the first board president Yadav Kharel.
On the occasion of International Women’s Day, March 8, 2021, two digitized films Aama and Kumari were screened. Digitization and restoration work was completed on Falgun 8, 2076 by signing an agreement on Bhadra 28, 2075 at Prasad Lab of Shree Prasad Corporation Pvt Ltd in Chennai, India.
