On March 4, a series of forums on classic film restoration entitled“Mutual Learning and Communication - A Tribute to the Classics”took place in Suzhou, East China’s Jiangsu Province. The event was co-organized by the China Film Archive (CFA) and the Jiangsu Provincial Film Administration.

“Suzhou and the China Film Archive have held three consecutive  Classic Film Festivals, bringing Suzhou, a city rich in film history, even closer to the art of cinema”, said Mr.Jin Jie, head of the city’s publicity department.“Mutual learning makes civilizations rich and communication makes technologies progress.In this year’s forums, we are joined by experts and scholars from home and abroad to share practical experiences and discuss film restoration-related innovations. This will boost the event both culturally and intellectually”, said Ms. Sun Xianghui, Director of the CFA.

The forums featured the first public screening of the 4K restored footage of Su Yuan Liu Ji (Six Records of Suzhou Gardens), which is China’s first documentary series on Suzhou gardens. It introduces the simplicity and elegance of Suzhou gardens from a cultural perspective. CFA was entrusted by the Publicity Department of Suzhou and the city’s Radio and Television Station to restore the film.

The forums consisted two parts, one focusing on the important role that restored classics play in cultural exchanges and the other on the technological innovation involved in restoring old movies.Through keynote speeches and panel discussions, Chinese and international experts exchanged views on the cultural value of and the criteria for restoration as well as the role of technology in it.