In a moment of immense pride for Manipur and a significant milestone for India’s film preservation community, Dr. Johnson Rajkumar, the state’s only film conservator and one of the very few trained film conservators in the country, has been selected as the only participant from India for the highly prestigious FIAF Film Restoration Summer School 2026, to be held in Bologna, Italy. Organized under the aegis of the International Federation of Film Archives, the Summer School is globally regarded as one of the most advanced and competitive training programmes in the field of film restoration. It brings together a select cohort of archivists, curators and conservators from across the world, offering intensive, hands-on training in both photochemical and digital restoration practices. Participation in this programme is widely recognised as a benchmark of excellence in the domain of film heritage preservation.
The training is conducted in collaboration with L’Immagine Ritrovata, Italy widely acknowledged as the world’s leading film restoration laboratory. Notably, this is the very institution where the internationally acclaimed Manipuri film Ishanou (1990) was restored, which was subsequently selected for the Cannes Classics section at the Cannes Film Festival (France) 2023, bringing global recognition to Manipuri cinema.
Johnson Rajkumar has been at the forefront of film preservation efforts in Manipur. As an instrumental figure in setting up the SN Chand Cine Archive and Museum, he has been working voluntarily in the Manipur’s film archive for over five years, dedicating himself to safeguarding the state’s deteriorating cinematic heritage. In a context marked by limited institutional infrastructure, his work represents a rare and pioneering effort to build a culture of archiving and restoration in the state.
He has played a crucial role in the restoration of “Ishanou” (1990) and was part of the team that brought the film back to global attention. Additionally, he has also supervised the digitization of “Brojendragee Luhhongba” (1973), the first Manipuri feature film directed by a Manipuri filmmaker and has led the critical effort to salvage the remaining reels of “Mainu Pemcha” (1948), the earliest known attempt at filmmaking in Manipur. These interventions are important acts of cultural preservation, rescuing endangered cinematic history from irreversible loss. In recognition of his contributions, he was honored in 2022 by the Film Heritage Foundation, Mumbai with the “Champion of Film Heritage Award,” acknowledging his instrumental role in initiating archival practices in Manipur under challenging conditions.
Further affirming his international standing, FIAF has awarded him a scholarship of €1,400 to support his participation in the Summer School. However, despite this assistance, his participation currently hangs in the balance due to the financial requirements associated with the programme, including course fees, international travel and living expenses. This selection places Manipur on the global map of film preservation and signals the emergence of a region that has long remained underrepresented in international archival discourse. Johnson’s participation in the FIAF Summer School has the potential to bring back critical expertise to Manipur, enabling the development of professional preservation standards, capacity-building initiatives and long-term strategies for safeguarding the state’s rich cinematic heritage.
