Film lovers rejoice. Legendary American filmmaker, long-dedicated cinpehile, and occasional MCU critic Martin Scorsese is taking his love of cinema in a new direction. His long-running nonprofit The Film Foundation, dedicated to film preservation and the exhibition of restored and classic cinema, is officially launching a free virtual screening room to showcase film restorations.
The first Film Foundation restoration screening is set to launch Monday, May 9, and will feature the 1945 romantic comedy “I Know Where I’m Going!,” directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. The film stars Wendy Hiller and Roger Livesey. Scorsese is a longtime admirer of Powell and Pressburger. His longtime editor Thelma Schoonmaker was married to Michael Powell for six years and the Scorsese was able to get to know the legendary English filmmaker intimately through her.
The film will be available for 24 hours. Screening participants can also enjoy access to introductions with filmmakers and archivists, which will provide insight not only into the film but the restoration process itself. The concept harkens back to “appointment viewing,” with films and materials available at a set date and time and only for a limited period, unlike other streaming models.
READ MORE: The Essentials: The Films Of Powell & Pressburger
Scorsese will introduce the film, and there will be interviews with Thelma Schoonmaker, Tilda Swinton, Kevin Macdonald, and “The Souvenir” director Joanna Hogg, a filmmaker Scorsese helped by executive producing her ‘Souvenir’ films. There are a number of other restorations planned in a wide range of genres, with upcoming titles including Federico Fellini‘s “La Strada,” “the 1979 Malaysian film “Kummatty” by filmmaker G. Aravindan, Marlon Brando‘s “One-Eyed Jacks,” Sarah Maldoror‘s 1972 war-in-Angola feature “Sambizanga,” and a noir double feature of “Detour” and “The Chase.”
“We’re looking forward to making these beautiful restorations available to a wide audience,” Scorsese said in a statement. “Many of these presentations will feature restorations that are rarely seen, with myself and other filmmakers sharing why these films are important, how they have impacted our lives, and why it’s crucial that they be preserved.”
The Film Foundation also hosts many of its titles on the Criterion Channel. The restoration was overseen by The Film Foundation and BFI National Archive, in association with ITV Park Circus and Janus Films.