[KineJapan] trying to post Syrian film concerns on AMIA-list

[reeldrew at aol.com]

 Following a suggestion here, I posted--or rather tried to post on the AMIA List last evening my concerns about the possible dangers of preserving Syrian films, in particular Ismail Anzour's silent film, Taht sama'a Dimashq. Some hours later, I got back a standard message that my post had been submitted to the moderators for consideration. At this writing, however, it has not been posted. Considering the urgency of this matter, I felt it should reach the archival community as soon as possible. Have the moderators at AMIA decided to not post it? I am all too aware of the heated controversial politics of anything having to do with the Syrian situation so I tried to walk a fine line in stating my concerns. In any case, here follows the message I attempted to post on AMIA. If anyone here wishes to post a revised version of this message, whether on AMIA or anywhere else, feel free to post it under your own name. I am not seeking any personal recognition or credit for this but am simply trying to raise public awareness in order to safeguard Syria's moving image heritage before it is too late.--William M. Drew
   I am writing to express my concern about the need to preserve Syria's film and television heritage in the wake of the dramatic changes in that country this month. As a specialist in silent cinema and the sound films of the 1930s and '40s worldwide, my particular interest is in preserving Ismail Anzour's Taht sama'a Dimashq (Under Damascus Skies), an outstanding silent film produced in 1932 and one of the few surviving Arab silent feature films. Many surviving Syrian films and TV programs from later decades should also be secured as soon as possible. Given the often fierce controversy surrounding the fallen Assad regime and the uncertainty about the new ruling group currently headed by Al-Jolani, let me state at the outset that, as an American devoted to preserving all cinema history throughout the world, my concern is not motivated by partisan bias respecting one side or another in contemporary Syria. However, it is a matter of record that drastic collapses of governments in the global South have sometimes been calamitous for the country's moving image heritage. Many here may be familiar with the destruction of most of Cambodia's more than 400 films of the 1960s and early 1970s by the Khmer Rouge during their genocidal rule of the country. Here is an article from a few days ago about this cultural tragedy: https://www.aliceguyblache.com/news/remnants-past-filmography-early-cambodian-cinema-linda-saphan-nate-hun   Here are two articles about Golden Slumbers, Davy Chou's 2011 documentary about Cambodia's lost film heritage: http://2016e.memoryfilmfestival.org/golden-slumbers/   https://www.filmlinc.org/films/golden-slumbers/   A similar calamity in the preservation of moving images was the destruction of Iraq's television archive in the chaos that followed the US invasion of that country, described in this article: https://www.newarab.com/analysis/out-sight-iraqs-tv-archive-lost-war   
  Those of you at AMIA who have closely followed the dramatic events in Syria may have heard much about the new ruling group in Damascus and their ties to Al-Qaeda and ISIS. If those now in the lead still follow that ideology, then Syria's moving image heritage could be in danger unless rescued by those who believe in its preservation. On the other hand, if Al-Jolani is as moderate as the mainstream news media in the West claims, then archivists around the world should offer to aid in the preservation of Syria's film and TV heritage.
  To the best of my knowledge, Syria has never had a formal film archive that was a member of FIAF. It is possible that the National Film Organization, which has preserved Taht sama'a Dimashq, has taken on some of the work of an archive in the absence of a formal institution of that kind. I think the international archival community should test the moderation of the new ruling group by helping Syria to finally establish a national film archive along the lines of all the others in the world.  As for myself, I have no contacts in Syria but am hoping that there will be people at AMIA who might either travel to Damascus or at least establish communication with cinephiles in Syria with a common interest in safeguarding the country's moving image heritage. As a devotee of silent cinema, I hope they will endeavor to obtain a very good copy of Taht sama'a Dimashq for circulation outside Syria. The time to undertake this effort is now when the whole world is watching Damascus and the new leaders are professing moderation. Due to the urgency of the situation, I will welcome communication from those here who share my interest and concern. My e-mail address is: ReelDrew at aol.com 
 William M. Drew   
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