Imphal: Rare 8mm film reels from 1930s Manipur, featuring early documentation of local life, are being sent to Italy for professional restoration and digitisation.
This collaborative initiative, led by the SN Chand Cine Archive & Museum (SNCCAM) and the Home Movies Foundation in Bologna, Italy, aims to preserve endangered footage shot by pioneers Maharaj Kumar Priyabrata Singh and Kongbrailatpam Ibohal Sharma.
The project seeks to preserve this significant cultural history to international standards following training received by SNCCAM’s Johnson Rajkumar.
Fifteen fragile 8mm celluloid reels containing rare footage of Manipur will undergo professional inspection, cataloguing and digital preservation in Italy. The international collaboration aims to safeguard the state’s early visual history.
A release from the Manipur State Film Development Society (MSFDS) shared the details. The reels are part of a 25-reel collection donated by X-Cine to the SN Chand Cine Archive & Museum (SNCCAM).
Pioneers Maharaj Kumar Priyabrata Singh and Kongbrailatpam Ibohal Sharma shot the footage. Sharma founded X-Cine, which is now run by his son, filmmaker K Bimol Sharma. SNCCAM operates under the MSFDS and has partnered with the Home Movies Foundation (National Family Film Archive) in Bologna for the project.
Foundation Director Paolo Simoni outlined the objectives, saying the footage will be digitised according to global film preservation standards rather than merely creating basic access copies.
The project involves multiple steps, with experts examining the physical and chemical condition of the reels, preparing conservation reports and cataloguing the material using global metadata standards.
The reels hold significant historical value for Manipur, preserving more than just images. Maharaj Kumar Priyabrata Singh used a Bell & Howell 8mm camera from 1935 to document local life, traditions and landscapes. Singh and Ibohal captured a changing society rather than making commercial films, providing a rare historical record from a period when filmmaking was particularly difficult.
The partnership follows a recent achievement by SNCCAM Principal Film Conservationist Johnson Rajkumar, who was the only Indian selected for the FIAF Film Restoration Summer School 2026 in Bologna.
The programme was held from June 19 to July 12, with experts from major organisations, including the Library of Congress and Warner Bros., conducting sessions on film inspection, restoration and archiving.
Officials said the initiative marks an important step towards rescuing and protecting Manipur’s early visual heritage.