Since 2004 FOCAL International Awards competition is dedicated to the promotion and celebration of archival footage and its contribution to the creative and cultural industries. We congratulate all the past winners.
Shortlisted
Dawson City: Frozen Time
Director:
Bill Morrison
Producer(s):
Madeleine Molyneaux, Bill Morrison
Footage Archive Researcher:
Bill Morrison, Paul Gordon, Kathy Jones-Gates, Michael Gates
Archival Sources:
Library Archives Canada, Library of Congress (US), Museum & Historical Society Collection (Canada), British Pathé, MK2
Production Company:
Hypnotic Pictures & Picture Palace
Country of Production:
USA
Synopsis
In 1978 Canada, a bulldozer digs up a long-lost collection of 533 nitrate film prints from the early 1900s.
This film showcases the history of Dawson City, Canada, deep in the Yukon territory, from its creation during the Klondike Gold Rush culminating in the 1978 discovery of the silent film reels, thought to be lost, that had been buried in a former swimming pool or hockey rink. Along with the lost films, there was also rare footage of other historic events, including the 1919 World Series.
La Lunga Strada del Ritorno
Production Company:
RAI Teche
Country of Production:
Italy
Involved Partners:
Commissioned By: National Corporate Film Archive of the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia, Restoration by: RAI Teche
Synopsis
La lunga strada del ritorno, an investigative film by Alessandro Blasetti, is perhaps one of the first examples of systematic reuse of archive materials, at least within the context of Italian television. The documentary collects testimonies from Italian Second World War veterans, marrying the story of the conflict with that of the events which dominated the lives of the men called to the front line.
The restoration was the result of a collaboration between Rai Teche and the National Corporate Film Archive of the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia (Italian National Film School).
Kinemacolor Project
Production Company:
Cineteca di Bologna
Country of Production:
Italy
Involved Partners:
Commissioned by: Cineteca di Bologna, Restoration by: L'Immagine Ritrovata,Bologna
Synopsis
The most accurate research about Kinemacolor state that around 1000 films were made with this process. Less than 50 are known to exist today. 23 of these remaining films come from a single source, the Ansaldo Historical Archive. The archive received them from Genoan cameraman Montermini, who was active in the 1960s and 70s filming in Liguria for Rai news. Thanks to Professor Marco Salotti, in the late 1980s this small treasure trove ended up at the Cineteca di Bologna. We then started a restoration project that received support from Proiecto Lumière. Today, 25 years later, it is close to its completion with the help of digital technology, of the skilled work of the restoration laboratory L’Immagine Ritrovata and of Davide Pozzi.
Mike Welt, Ho Dang Hoa, David P. Schmidt for 'The Vietnam War'
Footage Archive Researcher:
Mike Welt, Ho Dang Hoa, David P. Schmidt
Archival highlights
Our 18-hour production included eight hours of archival footage, and our researchers worked diligently with sources worldwide to obtain the best quality material. Several scenes would have been impossible without new or underused footage: the Kent State shootings, which includes film shot by a former student; an archival interview from a local TV station about atrocities committed by U.S. soldiers; the Ho Chi Minh Trail; and many others. Our digital transfers aided in the preservation of valuable originals. All of our footage is cleared for use worldwide with the appropriate rights holders.
Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, Producer/Director – The Vietnam War
ITV Archive
Kieran O’Leary, Access & Digital Collections Developer
Production Company:
IFI Irish Film Archive
Archival highlights
I am nominating Kieran O'Leary the IFI's Access & Digital Collections Developer for the outstanding employee award, as he is an employee of the calibre of which you encounter maybe once or twice in your career. His work over the last number of years has been indispensable and transformative for the IFI Archive, without him our digital development would not have occurred to the extent that it has, and we would not be in our current position, where as a small low budget archive we are punching above our weight in terms of digital procedures, development and international collaboration.
In a very short space of time Kieran has learned code and built a reputation for himself amongst the international archive community. One of his major contributions has been in the area micro-servicing; after teaching himself python he developed a set of programmes from python scripts for the Irish Film Archive (IFA) staff's daily use for fixity, movement and transcoding. Kieran generously shares his knowledge, new findings and programmes with IFA colleagues and the larger moving image archiving community. Kieran has been up-skilling his IFA colleagues by setting up training programmes in coding and use of command line software. He engages also with other coders, sharing ideas and contributing to new solutions that are being employed globally. He works directly with the developers of the free open source software tools we use to introduce new features that will benefit us, - which saves us time and money and benefits the archival community as a whole. As a result of his contributions he been invited to attend various workshops and conferences and the IFI has become recognised as a place of innovation and digital development, something we would never have imagined was possible only 2 years ago. Kieran regulars makes conference and workshop presentations advocating the use of Open source tools to empower smaller archives with limited budgets. His micro service for creating mezzanine and proxy surrogates from DCPs is now being used by other archives around the world as a useful and free alternative to other pricey software. The IFA's micro services are available for study, use or contribution here: https://github.com/kieranjol/IFIscripts.
Informed by a sense of duty and commitment to preserving moving image material related to Ireland in the most future proof way. A recent contribution of Kierans is in wriitng a script to concatonate dispersed digital files on hardrives and original camera cards, this script pulls together these fragmented files creating a viewable, chaptered access copy that can be easily catalogued and made available to users. In addition to his technical skills Kieran possess an enthusiasm for learning and has proven to be an excellent communicator; he is approachable and supportive of his colleagues. He has shown initiative and demonstrated his collaborative nature by seeking to share his skills and research with the wider AV archive community, which has led to his involvement with a number of Open Source projects internationally. Kieran has achieved all this within the space of these past 2 years. He has done so with grace and humility. He is a wonderful colleague who is always willing to engage with and assist any of his teammates. Kieran is a problem solver, an innovator, an initiator and a gentleman.
KASANDRA O’CONNELL, Head of Archive, IFI Irish Film Archive
Ferrari: Race to Immortality
Director:
Daryl Goodrich
Producer(s):
Julia Taylor-Stanley, Kevin Loader, Maggie Monteith, Sam Tromans
Footage Archive Researcher:
Richard Wiseman
Archival Sources:
BP Video Library, Von Trips Collection, Getty Images, Jaguar Daimler, Gaumont Archive
Production Company:
Artemis Films
Country of Production:
UK
Synopsis
The 1950s. Emergence of the iconic Scuderia Ferrari in the Formula One World Championship and deadliest decade in motor racing history. As cars pushed the limits of human ingenuity, drivers lived on a knife edge between life and death.
At the centre of it all was Enzo Ferrari, a towering figure in motor racing and patriarch of Ferrari who dared to dream about speed in ways nobody else could. Amidst the stiff competition within his team, two of its stars, Peter Collins and Mike Hawthorn, decided that their friendship was as important as winning the next race.
Ferrari: Race to Immortality tells the story of the loves and losses, triumphs and tragedy of Ferrari's most celebrated drivers
Jane
Director:
Brett Morgen
Producer(s):
Brett Morgen, Bryan Burk, Tim Pastore, Jeff Hasler
Footage Archive Researcher:
Jessica Berman-Bogdan
Archival Sources:
Nat Geo Creative, The Jane Goodall Institute, HarperCollins Publishers Limited, The Associated Press, The Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision, The Jane Goodall Institute Research Center at Duke University, Universal Media, Inc.
Production Company:
National Geographic Studios in association with Public Road Productions for National Geographic
Country of Production:
USA
Synopsis
Drawing from over 100 hours of never-before-seen footage that has been tucked away in the National Geographic archives for over 50 years, award-winning director Brett Morgen tells the story of Jane, a woman whose chimpanzee research challenged the male-dominated scientific consensus of her time and revolutionized our understanding of the natural world. Set to a rich orchestral score from legendary composer Philip Glass, the film offers an unprecedented, intimate portrait of Jane Goodall — a trailblazer who defied the odds to become one of the world’s most admired conservationists.
My Generation
Director:
David Batty
Producer(s):
Simon Fuller, Fodhla Cronin O'Reilly
Footage Archive Researcher:
James RM Hunt
Archival Sources:
Peter Witehead/Contemporary Films, BBC Motion Gallery/Getty Images, Paramount Pictures, ITV Archive/ITN Source, Justin de Villeneuve
Production Company:
Raymi Hero Productions/XIX Entertainment
Country of Production:
UK
Synopsis
Narrated by and starring Michael Caine, My Generation is a perceptive and entertaining journey through the "Swinging Sixties" and the societal upheaval that still resonates today in the UK and around the world. It is told with film clips, archival footage, music of the era, and the participation of Paul McCartney, Roger Daltrey, Mary Quant, Marianne Faithfull, David Bailey, Twiggy and many other pop culture legends. With his unique viewpoint and gifts as a raconteur, Caine serves as our guide through the cultural revolution that rocked the world in the '60s with an insider's unique, humorous and moving insights.
A Kind of Seeing
Director:
Shona Thomson
Producer(s):
Shona Thomson
Footage Archive Researcher:
Shona Thomson
Production Company:
Shona Thomson
Country of Production:
UK
Synopsis
Shona Thomson is one of Scotland’s leading independent creative producer/curators, specialising in creating rare archive film shows and touring silent films with live performance across the UK under the banner of A Kind of Seeing.
In 2017, Made by the Sea and Following the Fleet: Drifters were two A Kind of Seeing tours that commissioned new live scores and brought over 60 rarely seen films from five national and regional archives to new audiences. Curation was directly inspired by each unique touring location: from a mobile cinema on the island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides, to an outdoor screening in Hull Marina, and a circus/street arts centre on the quayside of Great Yarmouth.
Crows of the Desert – A Hero’s Journey through the Armenian Genocide
Director:
Marta Houske
Producer(s):
Marta Houske
Footage Archive Researcher:
Marta Houske
Archival Sources:
DFI, IWM, Gaumont Pathé
Production Company:
Matrix Communications - Marta Houske
Country of Production:
USA
Synopsis
Crows of the Desert is the incredible true story of one man’s brave struggle to stay alive and help save his people from near extinction in the 20th Century’s first genocide.
World War One engulfed the Middle East as Lawrence of Arabia fought side by side with the Arabs against the Ottomans. In this chaos, our hero Levon endured unimaginable hardships and risked his life countless times to rescue thousands of scattered, destitute survivors. This documentary reveals how people from many different cultures and faiths, Christians, Moslems, Druze and Jews, stepped forward to help the Armenian refugees.
Rare archival materials illustrate the terror and heroism of a century ago in the Syrian Desert
LA92
Director:
Dan Lindsay, TJ Martin
Producer(s):
Simon Chinn, Jonathan Chinn, Sarah Gibson
Footage Archive Researcher:
Beatrice Read
Archival Sources:
ABC, Abraham Torres, Associated Press, Conus, CNN, Footage Works
Production Company:
National Geographic Presents a Lightbox Production
Country of Production:
USA
Synopsis
Twenty-five years after the verdict in the Rodney King trial sparked several days of protests, violence and looting in Los Angeles, LA 92 immerses viewers in that tumultuous period through stunning and rarely seen archival footage. Produced by two-time Oscar winner Simon Chinn and Emmy winner Jonathan Chinn and directed by Oscar winners Dan Lindsay and TJ Martin, the film looks at the events of 1992 from a multitude of vantage points, bringing a fresh perspective to a pivotal moment that reverberates to this day.
Dolores
Director:
Peter Bratt
Producer(s):
Brian Benson, Peter Bratt, Alpita Patel
Footage Archive Researcher:
Jennifer Petrucelli
Archival Sources:
Wazee Digital/CBC News, NBC Universal Archives, Walter P. Reuther Library, Archives of Labor & Urban Affairs, Wayne State University, The Harvey Richards Media Archive, Various Individuals & filmmakers
Production Company:
5 Stick Films Inc, Dolores Huerta Film Project
Country of Production:
USA
Synopsis
Dolores Huerta is among the most important, yet least known, activists in American history. An equal partner in co-founding the first farm workers unions with Cesar Chavez, her enormous contributions have gone largely unrecognized. Dolores tirelessly led the fight for racial and labour justice alongside Chavez, becoming one of the most defiant feminists of the twentieth century—and she continues the fight to this day, at 87. With intimate and unprecedented access to this intensely private mother to eleven, the film reveals the raw, personal stakes involved in committing one’s life to social change. Directed by Peter Bratt.
Rolling Stone: Stories from the Edge
Director:
Alex Gibney, Blair Foster
Producer(s):
Senior Producer: Sara Bernstein (for HBO), Executive Producers: Sheila Nevins (for HBO), Alex Gibney, Blair Foster, Jann Wenner, James Cabourne,
Footage Archive Researcher:
Eric Kulberg, John Paige, Wyatt Stone, Jim McDonnell, Universal Media, inc
Archival Sources:
AP Archive, Getty Images/BBC Motion Gallery, NBC Universal Archives, Moving Images Archives, Reelin’ in the Years
Production Company:
HBO Documentary Films
Country of Production:
USA
Synopsis
Directed by multiple award-winners Alex Gibney and Blair Foster, this two-part, four-hour documentary event chronicles the last 50 years of American music, politics and popular culture through the story of Rolling Stone, the publication co-founded in November 1967 by Jann Wenner and Ralph J. Gleason. From the beginning, Wenner, Gleason and their eclectic staff understood that rock 'n' roll is more than music – it's a cultural force that has played a huge role in shaping America and defining generations.
Global Imageworks, Gaumont Pathé Archives, BBC/Getty Images, Horace Ové, Gordon Parks
Production Company:
Velvet Film
Country of Production:
USA
Synopsis
In I Am Not Your Negro, entirely narrated with the words of James Baldwin, via his personal appearances and the text of his final and unfinished book project, the award-winning director Raoul Peck goes back to the tragic deaths of Malcolm X, Martin Luther King and Medgar Evers to bring a powerful clarity on how the image (and reality) of Blacks in America today is fabricated and enforced.
Narrated by Award-winning actor Samuel L. Jackson.
Dawson City: Frozen Time
Director:
Bill Morrison
Producer(s):
Madeleine Molyneaux, Bill Morrison
Footage Archive Researcher:
Bill Morrison, Paul Gordon, Kathy Jones-Gates, Michael Gates
Archival Sources:
Library Archives Canada, Library of Congress (US), Museum & Historical Society Collection (Canada), British Pathé, MK2
Production Company:
Hypnotic Pictures & Picture Palace
Country of Production:
USA
Synopsis
In 1978 Canada, a bulldozer digs up a long-lost collection of 533 nitrate film prints from the early 1900s.
This film showcases the history of Dawson City, Canada, deep in the Yukon territory, from its creation during the Klondike Gold Rush culminating in the 1978 discovery of the silent film reels, thought to be lost, that had been buried in a former swimming pool or hockey rink. Along with the lost films, there was also rare footage of other historic events, including the 1919 World Series.
Absolut – One Night
Director:
Emmanuel Lubezki
Producer(s):
Stephen Brierley, Victoria Keenan
Footage Archive Researcher:
Jody Winterbottom, Hazel May, Lisa Savage, Giovanni Righini
Archival Sources:
David Fortne, Kevin McCloughlin, Chris Parks, Ruben van Leer, Lance Page
Production Company:
The Director Studio, Park Pictures
Country of Production:
UK
Synopsis
32 trillion nights later.. We follow the path of creative development of humankind through the journey of an idea from the creation of the universe to present day. Billions of years condensed into a dynamic 60 second film!
