“Neighbours” from Norman McLaren, the first President of ASIFA, was added to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) Memory of the World Registry on Friday, July 31, 2008, according to the National Film Board of Canada (NFB).
When ASIFA was founded in 1960, McLaren was elected our first president. ASIFA embodies the values McLaren, John Hallas and our other founding fathers cherished. Working initially with UNESCO, ASIFA worked to unite the world in peace by finding ways for animators from both sides of the Iron Curtain to meet for the first time, to see each others work and to develop lasting friendships. That spirit of peace, love and tolerance continues to guide us as we approach the 50th anniversary of our association.
UNESCO (the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization), encourages international peace and universal respect by promoting collaboration among nations. Their Memory of the World Register identifies and lists the most significant documentary heritage collections in the world, including the Gutenberg Bible and the original manuscript of the Ninth Symphony of Ludwig van Beethoven. Other noted films include Metropolis, The Wizard of Oz, and the films of Ingmar Bergman.
McLaren’s most famous film is Neighbours, an anti-war film which received numerous awards and screenings, including the Academy Award in 1953. In total, 82 films and 52 film tests, completed by McLaren between 1933 and 1985, were selected for the UNESCO registry.
The Audio-Visual Preservation Trust of Canada nominated McLaren for the award. “Norman McLaren showed the world the power of animation as a means of serious social commentary, making a contribution to world art that cannot be overestimated. The National Film Board of Canada is proud that his great legacy has been added to the Memory of the World Register, just as we’re dedicated to ensuring that Norman’s genius and social conscience reach the widest possible audience,” said Tom Perlmutter, Government Film Commissioner and NFB Chairperson.
The Current President of ASIFA/International, Sayoko Kinoshita (Japan), commented “Norman McLaren was the very first President of ASIFA, when our association was to be established, and I am very pleased that he joined the Memory of the World Registry. I felt especially pleased to read about his important work “Neighbours” this morning in Hiroshima, on occasion of the Peace Memorial Day of August 6th. I would like to express my sincere respect toward our founders, who made great effort to realize world peace through animation, and through the international exchange between different cultures, and I feel that it is our obligation to extend this policy to the younger generation.”
A press release from the Association of Moving Image Archivists states:
“Norman McLaren (April 11, 1914 to January 27, 1987) was one the most influential figures in film animation, creating an extraordinary body of work and continuing to inspire generations of filmmakers. He was also deeply involved with UNESCO, through his pioneering UNESCO-sponsored missions to teach animation in China (1949) and India (1952) for use in promoting public health and education.
In 2006, the NFB marked the 65th anniversary of NFB animation with an ambitious restoration of the complete works of Norman McLaren, from his early years in Glasgow in 1933 to his final film with the NFB in 1983, including experiments, tests and outtakes. These restored classics were released as part of a 7-DVD box entitled Norman McLaren – The Master’s Edition, which received the Focal Award for Best Archive Restoration or Preservation Project. A theatrical retrospective of McLaren’s films also toured Canadian and international cities.
Neighbours and other McLaren classics can be viewed, free of charge, at the National Film Board of Canada’s online Screening Room, NFB.ca. “
Deanna Morse and Karl Cohen 2009-08-09
