Save Myanmar Film Film Archiving and Preservation Initiative

Overview

Save Myanmar Film (SMF) is a nonprofit archiving initiative based in Yangon, Myanmar, dedicated to the preservation, digitization, and public accessibility of Myanmar's film heritage. It is the only organization in Myanmar working specifically on the preservation and accessibility of the country's documentary heritage on film, and its main institutional partner is the Myanmar National Film Archive under the Ministry of Information.

History and Founding

Before 2017, film preservation had virtually no organized presence in Myanmar. Save Myanmar Film pioneered archival practice in the country, conducting workshops with international professionals and undertaking research on surviving films, newsreels, and film-related materials. From January to April 2018, the team completed a four-month research survey of surviving films. Myanmar's film history dates to 1920, but a formal national film vault was only established in the 1980s at the Film Development Center, and it had not been converted into a full national archive as of the time of SMF's founding.

Collections and Holdings

The SMF collection includes surviving black-and-white and color 35mm film reels, U-matic tapes, and associated materials such as film posters and flyers. The team has completed the digitization of several historically significant films including The Emerald Jungle (1934), which was inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Regional Register for Asia and the Pacific, and General Cartoon (1963). A mini audio-visual resource center was established in August 2024 with ACC-MOWCAP support, providing public access through scheduled viewing sessions. A film catalogue has been compiled for public access.

Notable Materials Related to Journalism and Media

The SMF archive includes national documentaries covering Myanmar's independence movement and speeches by independence figures including General Aung San, as well as newsreel footage from the early decades of Burmese cinema.

Access and Usage

The audio-visual resource center accepts bookings for viewing and research via Facebook Messenger, Viber, Telegram, and email. The organization's website provides updates on digitization projects and available resources. SMF has received grants from ACC (Asian Cultural Council), MOWCAP, and other international cultural heritage organizations.