From a press release
HALIFAX: Artists, researchers and film lovers will have better access to Atlantic Canada’s remarkable film heritage through a new lab at the Nova Scotia Archives.
The Atlantic Media Preservation Laboratory, a partnership between the archives and the Atlantic Filmmakers Co-operative, will help ensure film from earlier eras is protected and preserved.
“Archival films have the power to change the world by helping us understand and bring awareness to important issues, events and people of the past,” said Pat Dunn, Minister of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage. “This new specialized film lab is the first of its kind in Atlantic Canada and will help ensure our stories continue to be told.”
The lab will preserve the work of artists like film pioneer Margaret Perry, the subject of the new online exhibit Margaret Perry: A Life in Film.
The exhibit officially launched on Monday, September 19, as part of FIN Atlantic International Film Festival. It is at: https://archives.novascotia.ca/perry
Quotes:
“Margaret Perry is one of the most influential, yet unknown, people in Nova Scotia in the 20th century. Her promotional films about the province offer us a glimpse into how Nova Scotia saw itself in the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s, or at least how the government wanted others to see the province. Perry was very interested in highlighting women’s labour, co-operative labour, and how things were done or made. The films reflect her interests and understanding of Nova Scotia.”
– Jennifer VanderBurgh, associate professor, faculty of arts, Saint Mary’s University
“It is so exciting to be stepping into the role of new executive director with such an exciting project and partnership on the horizon. Something that has been in development for a while is coming to fruition with the hard work and dedication of all involved while being supported by the Nova Scotia Archives.”|
– Erica Meus-Saunders, Executive Director, Atlantic Filmmakers Co-operative
Quick Facts:
— to support the new lab, the Province provided $35,000 to the filmmakers co-operative toward a $70,000 archivist Lasergraphics motion picture film scanning systems scanner
— the federal government provided additional funding
— the Margaret Perry online resource is a collaboration between the Nova Scotia Archives, the Archive/Counter-Archive project, Saint Mary’s University, NSCAD University, York University and FIN Atlantic International Film Festival
Additional Resources:
Nova Scotia Archives:
— website: https://archives.novascotia.ca
— Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/novascotiaarchives
— Twitter: https://twitter.com/NS_Archives
Atlantic Filmmakers Co-operative: https://afcoop.ca
Archive/Counter-Archive: https://counterarchive.ca/welcome
