The veteran actor will be the first Indian cinema personality to be bestowed with the FIAF Award for his dedication and contribution to the preservation of the world's film heritage.
Amitabh Bachchan will be the 2021 recipient of the annual award presented by the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF), the organisation of film archives and museums from across the world, at a virtual ceremony scheduled to take place on March 19.
Hollywood filmmakers and previous recipients of the FIAF Award – Martin Scorcese and Christopher Nolan – will present the award to Bachchan for his contribution to the preservation of and access to the world’s film heritage for the benefit of present and future generations.
Bachchan was nominated by the FIAF-affiliate Film Heritage Foundation, an Indian film archival organisation founded by filmmaker and archivist Shivendra Singh Dungarpur.
Dungarpur pointed out that India’s track record in film preservation is dismal. By 1950, India had lost almost 70% of its films, and of the 1,338 silent films made in India, some 29 survive, many only in fragments.
He said that Bachchan “constructively wielded his influence to amplify the cause on a war footing,” in South Asia and that he was the unanimous choice of the 172 FIAF-affiliated archives for the award.
Commenting on the felicitation, FIAF President Frédéric Maire, said: “FIAF has very been active in India and South Asia, thanks to its close collaboration with Film Heritage Foundation, since 2015. By presenting our prestigious FIAF Award to Amitabh Bachchan, we want to show the world how rich and diverse, but also how fragile, this unique film heritage is, and we want to publicly thank Bachchan for his role as a high-profile advocate for the rescue of this heritage, in India and beyond.”
Scorsese added: “Amitabh Bachchan’s advocacy for preserving India’s film legacy has been exceptional.”
Nolan commented: “As a past recipient of the FIAF Award, I know how imperative it is that representatives of the film industry around the world come together to ensure that we preserve our film heritage. Amitabh Bachchan has played an essential role in putting the cause of film preservation on the map in India and the subcontinent.”
