By Murtuza Iqbal
Megastar Amitabh Bachchan will be honoured with the 2021 FIAF Award by The International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF). The Paa actor’s name was nominated by the FIAF affiliate Film Heritage Foundation, founded by filmmaker and archivist Shivendra Singh Dungarpur.
According to a report in Times of India, Martin Scorsese and Christopher Nolan will virtually present the award to Big B for his dedication and contribution to the preservation of the world’s film heritage.
Amitabh Bachchan, who is the first Indian to be honoured with the award, stated, “I am greatly honoured to receive this award for a cause that I am deeply committed to. When I became the ambassador of the Film Heritage Foundation in 2015, I realised the extent of the neglect and colossal loss of our precious film heritage and how we continue to lose more of our legacy every day. Recognising the urgency of the situation, I have been working closely with them to do everything in our power to save our films and build a movement for film preservation in our part of the world. We must strengthen the idea that film archiving is as essential as filmmaking, and I do hope that we are able to garner further support for this cause from my colleagues in the film industry and the government, to enable us to realise our dream for building a centre that will preserve and showcase our magnificent film heritage.”
Martin Scorsese said, “Safeguarding cinema is a global cause. Amitabh Bachchan’s advocacy for preserving India’s film legacy has been exceptional. With a career spanning over five decades, he is a celebrated actor who has put the considerable weight of his reputation behind the cause of film preservation in India and the entire subcontinent. They could not have chosen a more deserving individual to recognise this year."
Nolan added, “I know how imperative it is that representatives of the film industry around the world come together to ensure that we preserve our film heritage. I want to congratulate Amitabh Bachchan on receiving the 2021 honour. He has played an essential role in putting the cause of film preservation on the map in India and the subcontinent.”
