Current language: English

The End of Authenticity, or A Sea Change in Film Restoration? Considering the Risks and Opportunities of AI Tools in Film Heritage

Film Restored

With: Ulrich Rüdel (HTW Berlin), Franziska Heller (Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg) and Tom Vincent (Aardman Animations)
 

The digital modification of historical audiovisual works has had a large impact on film restoration since the early 1990s. However, we have only recently developed formal guidelines for ethical restoration. The emergence of AI may lead to another quantum leap in the potential and ethical challenges of digital techniques, necessitating a thorough analysis of sources and data, and scrutiny of current and future digital tools.

Taking a decidedly trans-disciplinary approach, this event will discuss concepts and case studies from commercial film (post) production and film preservation training, ranging from materials science to digital media and cultural studies. We will look at selected examples with reference to the development of digital film restoration and its ethics, the latter in particular to further the discussion on our recently proposed Shiryaev Memorandum whose draft of 10/2025 argues for a dedicated framework of AI restoration ethics. Consequently, we will highlight not only apparent opportunities, but also the severe risks of AI image manipulation in film restoration of the future, in both the professional field and with regards to the broader public.

In English

The Workshop “Collaborative Approaches to AI: Exploring the Scope for Archival Agency” will follow immediately afterward.

Price info: Attending the warm-up event is free of charge. Please register by 9 October at:

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