Restoring Satyajit Ray’s Apu Trilogy

Satyajit Ray’s Apu Trilogy is one of the highest achievements in the history of cinema. But when the Criterion Collection set out to remaster the three films—Pather Panchali, Aparajito, and Apur Sansar—they had no idea how difficult the task would be. Criterion Technical Director Lee Kline takes us behind the scenes of this unbelievable (and ongoing) restoration odyssey that began with Ray’s lifetime achievement Academy Award in 1992 and has involved archives on three continents, a tragic fire, and efforts to pull these landmark films from the ashes—in some cases, literally. (Program approx. 60 mins.)