Arkivi Qendror Shteteror i Filmit: The Albanian Film Archive

Arkivi Qendror Shteteror i Filmit: The Albanian Film Archive

11/26/2012

Current conditions at the AQSHF and evaluating Hoxha era tunnels for archival storage

The Albanian Film Archive building in Tirana has inconsistent environmental control

resulting in potentially poor storage conditions due to unreliable equipment and

building maintenance issues. Communist era bunkers may be suitable as an

alternative storage location for film elements at a relatively low cost.


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Table of Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................ 2

INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 4

Building construction ............................................................................................................................. 5

OBSERVED CONDITIONS ..................................................................................................... 5

Vault chilling equipment ...................................................................................................................... 7

Roof observations ................................................................................................................................. 8

Vault observations ............................................................................................................................. 10

HOXHA ERA TUNNELS ...................................................................................................... 12

Bunker complex #1: Surreli tunnels ................................................................................................ 12

Bunker complex #2: Mëlçiza tunnel................................................................................................ 15

Bunker complex #3: Ndroqi tunnel ................................................................................................. 16

MEETING WITH MINISTER BUMCI ...................................................................................... 18

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ...................................................................... 18

SPECIAL THANKS............................................................................................................... 20


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Arkivi Qendror Shteteror i Filmit: The Albanian Film Archive C U R R E N T C O N D I T I O N S A T T H E A Q S H F A N D E VA L U A T I N G H O X H A

E R A T U N N E L S F O R A R C H I VA L S T O R A G E

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Earlier this year, the Albanian Film Archive - Arkivi Qendror Shteteror i Filmit –

celebrated its 65th anniversary. A FIAF member archive since 1970, the collections at

the AQSHF consist of virtually all Albanian cinema produced beginning in 1947

through the present day. Additional collections (per the AQSHF website) held by the

archive include:

Archive materials collected through the privatization process of the feature

length films, documentary films and chronicles produces by foreign studios, from the beginning to the end of the Second World War, considered as spoils of war.

Filmed materials deposited according to the legal provisions that started to apply since 1945, which include the materials produced by foreign film

directors based on the new state-run agreements.

Copies of filmed materials of foreign productions bought by the state.

Materials received through exchange with other archives.

Archival footage

According to the website, as of December 2010, the archive contained over

6400 titles consisting of almost 44,000 reels, and 8.5 million linear meters of film. Of

these, over 4300 titles are counted as Albanian productions, with another 2100 being

classified as foreign titles. In addition to film the archive stores and maintains virtually

all of the other material and ephemera that were created as part of the film

production process including scripts, director’s notes, photographs, promotional

materials, and posters. Virtually all the creative material of Albanian cinema is stored

at the archive.

The 22 year old headquarters building of the AQSHF suffers from poor

construction materials, poor construction techniques, and a lack of proper maintenance.

This coupled with unreliable electric service in the area mean that it is very difficult for

the Archive to maintain a consistently proper environment for their film and other

http://www.aqshf.gov.al/koleksioni.html


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collections. Archive staff consistently find mold on their film, and at least two staff

members spend the majority of their time hand cleaning collections.

The US Mission in Tirana working in conjunction with the Albanian Cinema Project

and the staff of the AQSHF invited a group of international film archive experts to visit

the AQSHF, not only evaluate the situation at the archive but also to examine

alternative solutions for the safe storage of the film collection. The group found the

conditions at the archive similar to those documented by film archivist Dr. Regina Longo

during her visit in July. As part of the experts group, Ken Weissman (film

preservationist from the Library of Congress) was asked to evaluate the possibility of

using military tunnels built during the communist era of Enver Hoxha as an alternate

storage facility for the AQSHF film collections. Weissman was intimately involved in

many of the details and planning involved in the move of the Library’s nitrate film

collection from a WWII era film vault structure into the new state of the art Packard

Campus for Audio Visual Conservation.

Tours of three different bunker/tunnel complexes were investigated for possible

reuse as film storage locations. The three complexes were located near Súrrel, Mëlçizë,

and Ndroq. Of the three complexes, the Ndroqi tunnels seemed to have the most

potential and were deemed most promising. However substantial work remains before

the potential can be realized.


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INTRODUCTION

The Albanian Film Archive recently celebrated its 65th anniversary. The official

name of the archive is the Arkivi Qendror Shteteror i Filmit, which provides the initials

by which it is commonly known - the AQSHF. Per the archive website, it was founded in

1947 when the Council of Minister's issued “Decision No.160, Decree 314 and Law

422” which transferred the cinemas into state property and established a “national film

enterprise”. The Archive was from the outset the designated repository for the storage

of the films that were taken from the cinema companies and were transformed into

state property.

Once again per their website, in 1963 the International Federation of Film

Archives (FIAF) approached the AQSHF about becoming a member of the federation. It

wasn’t until 1970 however that the AQSHF was admitted as a full member into FIAF.

The collections at the AQSHF consist of virtually all Albanian cinema produced

beginning in 1947 through the present day. Much of this consists of the production of

the “New Albania” studio (a state owned and operated entity) which was founded in

1952 and operated until 1992. Additional collections (per the website) held by the

archive include:

Archive materials collected through the privatization process of the feature length films, documentary films and chronicles produces by foreign studios, from the beginning to the end of the Second World War, considered as spoils of

war.

Filmed materials deposited according to the legal provisions that started to

apply since 1945, which include the materials produced by foreign film directors based on the new state-run agreements.

Copies of filmed materials of foreign productions bought by the state.

Materials received through exchange with other archives.

Archival footage

New Albanian productions continue to be acquired as well as joint productions

between Albanian and international studios. Albanian productions that are funded by

the new National Film Studio are required by law to deposit with the archive the

original negative, a positive, and the “phonogram” (sound track, sound master).

According to the website, as of December 2010, the archive contained over 6400

titles consisting of almost 44,000 reels, and 8.5 million linear meters of film. Of these,

over 4300 titles are counted as Albanian productions, with another 2100 being

classified as foreign titles. In addition to film the archive stores and maintains virtually

all of the other material and ephemera that were created as part of the film

production process including scripts, director’s notes, photographs, promotional

materials, and posters. Virtually all the creative material of Albanian cinema is stored

at the archive.

http://www.aqshf.gov.al/koleksioni.html


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Building construction

The AQSHF website indicates that construction on the main part of the building

that the archive currently inhabits was begun in 1989, and that the archive was

relocated to it in 1990. The cinema hall or theater was added to the facility in 2000.

With a capacity of 80 seats it began operations with equipment donated by Albanian

television, but was renovated and equipped with new equipment in 2010 and began a

regular program of events.

The film storage vaults within the archive facility have been plagued by uneven

environmental conditions mainly attributable to the poor state of the chilling equipment

that provides cold air to the vaults, as well as unreliable electric service. These

conditions were documented in 2009 when a group from the French National

Audiovisual Institute (INA) inspected the AQSHF facility.

Last year a couple of Albanian film makers, Thomas Logoreci and Iris Elezi

visited the facility and noticed the pungent smell of vinegar upon entering the facility, a

tell-tale sign of safety film deterioration. When shown the negative vault, they also

noticed that the walls were damp with humidity and noticed what appeared to be

fungus growing within the vault. On a return visit during the summer, the vaults cooling

system had apparently failed for several days and the temperatures within the vaults

reportedly approached the outside temperature of nearly 100 degrees.

Thomas and Iris made contact through a mutual acquaintance with film archivist

Dr. Regina Longo earlier this year, and explained the situation at the archive. Dr.

Longo arranged to visit the archive this July, taking advantage of another planned trip

to Europe for a conference. She was able to visit the facility and issued a

comprehensive report on the conditions at the archive. As a result of this visit she

founded the Albanian Cinema Project, an international consortium of film archivists, film

makers, film laboratory preservationists, and others dedicated to helping preserve the

Albanian Cinema heritage and to provide assistance to the archive.

Earlier this year Dr. Longo contacted Mike Mashon and me at the Library of

Congress to see if we would be able to help provide some assistance and advice to the

Albanian archives. Working with the US State Department mission in Tirana, Dr. Longo

was able to arrange funding for a visit to Albania. The Library then agreed to the

travel authorization for my trip to Tirana. Our group consisting of myself, Dr. Longo,

and Jean-Philippe Voiron departed the U.S. on November 2 and arrived in Tirana,

Albania the morning of November 3, 2012.

OBSERVED CONDITIONS

On Monday November 5, our group gathered at the AQSHF Archive building

for a meeting with members of the AQSHF staff. In addition to myself and AQSHF

staff, those present at the meeting included Regina Longo (Director of the Albanian


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Cinema Project), Jean-Philippe Voiron (photographer & videographer), Roxanne

Suratgar (USAid from Kosovo), and ACP Board member Elian Stefa (an Albanian born

architect, now living in Istanbul). After meeting for some introductory remarks by

AQSHF Director Elvira Diamanti, we began the tour/inspection of the facility.

The tour of the approximately 22 year old facility began on the outside. As we

walked around the building perimeter to the back, water damage to the building was

plainly evident. There are watermarks on several levels marking water

seepage/wicking up along the outside walls, especially those areas with a stucco finish.

The building has a flat roof and the scuppers and pipes that drain the water from the

roof dump the water at the base of the building right where the walls meet the

foundation. It seems clear that water is getting into the foundation and then traveling

up the walls of the structure. There were many areas where the surface stucco finish has

crumbled away from the underlying concrete and showed evidence of moss and

possibly mold. This includes areas where new stucco had been applied for repairs to

the finish. There is no evidence of any sort of flashing at these junctions, making it very

easy for the water to seep into the walls at the seams where the walls meet the

foundation. Looking up towards the roof, water damage to the overhangs of the

building and the eaves underneath was also readily apparent.

Water wicking marks on side of archive building Water stains under roof overhang

Roof drains cause water to collect in common area Moss growth and crumbling stucco


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In addition there are places where the foliage has grown in an uncontrolled

fashion right up to the building foundation. There are large sycamores, mulberry, and

other trees just a few feet from the building, and it seems likely that the roots are also

going to grow towards the building, perhaps even into the foundation, having the

potential to further undermine the structure.

Plant growth and debris outside of vaults Trees close to building provide shade keeping soil moist

Around the back of the facility located in a small courtyard area is a chilled

water circulating system that is designed to provide cooling for the air conditioning

compressors that supply cooling for the film vaults. The main water storage tank for

these swamp coolers is leaking like a sieve, and as it is virtually right up against the

outside of the film vaults storage unit, the water is seeping down into the soil and

keeping that area soaked all the time.

Leaky chilled water tank, area is shaded and water is collecting near foundation: Photo’s courtesy of Jean-Phillipe Voiron

Vault chilling equipment

The vault A/C compressors are in a machine room that is near the back of the

archive cinema building. There are two Carrier compressors in the room, however only

one of them is currently in working condition. On the day we visited neither unit was

functioning, as there was a problem with the internal electric power distribution supply

system, and an electrician was attempting to fix the problem. There is also a

mechanical maintenance staff person on site; however he is not a Carrier


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trained/certified technician. The ID tags on the compressors also indicate that the units

were manufactured in 1986, a full three years before building construction. The INA

report indicated that these were a gift of the former East German Archives in 1987.

This could mean that the units were previously in service and relocated to the new

building.

Only one of the two Carrier chillers is working Carrier France manufactured the unit 3 years before

AQSHF facility construction began

The A/C compressors use R-22, an HCFC based “Freon” type of refrigerant that

is now being phased out in developed countries as part of the international treaty

called the Montreal Protocol. This is due to its classification as an ozone depleting

substance. For example since the start of 2010, the Montreal Protocol specifies that

new equipment manufactured within the U.S cannot use R-22 (chlorodifluoromethane),

while existing equipment can only use recycled R-22 gas

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorodifluoromethane). As time goes on it will likely

become more difficult (and more expensive) to acquire replacement R-22 gas (either

new or recycled) because of this circumstance. It is not immediately known if Albania is

a signatory of the treaty, but this seems unlikely.

Roof observations

Upon inspection of the roof of the archive building facility, a number of problems

became immediately apparent. Leaves from the nearly eucalyptus trees had fallen

onto the roof, blocking several of the drains. It was apparent that water had pooled

recently near these drains and may have contributed to some of the leaks seen inside

the archive building. The archive staff pointed out new (since Regina Longo’s July visit)

roof patches that had been applied over the main portion of the archive office

building. They reported that this had solved the water leakage problems in that area

of the structure. However it appeared that the patches had not been properly sealed

with tar along the edges, so it is unclear how long they will be effective. Per the staff,

temperatures in the summer typically reach around 100 degrees, and other areas of

the roof (especially those covered with black roofing material) had begun to show signs

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorodifluoromethane


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of bubbling and cracking, so it would not be surprising if new leaks appear when the

spring rainy season arrives.

Leaves moved away from roof drain, evidence of water pooling. Black roof patches are newly applied

It was also noted that the front façade of the building (above the main entrance

and elsewhere) had cracked on the roof side, an area that is not visible from the front

of the building. The cracks had a significant gap which could indicate a danger of the

façade partially collapsing, possibly endangering anyone entering the building or

vehicles parked in the entrance driveway below. This needs to be checked for structural

integrity and possibly reinforced before possible freezing during the coldest part of

the winter negatively impacts the already weakened structure.

Also noted on the roof was the open access to the freight elevator shaft.

Apparently this was used to load the films into the archives, but it does not appear to

be still in use on a regular basis. As the shaft is positioned very close to the main doors

that lead into each of the storage vault units on the first and second floors, this provides

a way for outside air to enter the main part of the archive building. Sealing it could

help the archive maintain their internal environments to set point levels, as outside air

won’t always be so readily able to enter the building. This is especially important for

the film storage vaults, as their doors are opened and closed on a regular basis.

Additionally they appear to be missing the original door operating handles and

locking hardware, which have been replaced with ill-fitting locking mechanisms. As a

result, unconditioned outside air can easily get into the vaults through these open

spaces.


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Vault entrance door, note door hardware Close up of door opening hardware

Vault observations

Inside the vaults it is apparent that there are problems with water leakage, and

possible mold issues. The walls had multiple stains in the areas where the walls met the

floor as well as the ceiling, and some areas in between. There were areas where white

“deposits” were either leaching from the walls and ceiling (calcium?) or were growing

(mold?) from the floor/wall junctions. A faint chemical odor was also noticeable, which

the staff indicated was from an attempt to seal the walls of the vaults. During our visit

as previously mentioned, the cooling system for the film storage vaults was out of

service due to an electrical issue.

Fungus(?) growing in film storage vault Chemical deposits and applied sealent

The first floor vault for original negatives (vault #1) had an electronic

temperature and relative humidity sensor. The sensor indicated that the temperature in


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the vault was 15 C with a relative humidity of 79%. According to the Rochester Institute

of Technology’s Image Permanence Institute’s Dew Point Calculator

(http://www.dpcalc.org/default.asp) this puts the collection at risk for growing mold in

as little as 18 days. In fact all four of the metrics (natural aging, mechanical damage,

mold risk, and metal errosion) that IPI deems important for managing the risk of a

collection are in the “risk” category under those environmental conditions.

All six vaults that were visited exhibited similar defects in the walls relative to

staining, possible water encroachment, leaching of calcium, and possible mold growth.

The second floor vaults had a considerably higher chemical odor (an odor that I can

best describe as a wet latex paint smell) than the first floor vaults. Staff indicated that

these vaults had been sealed twice. The left most second floor vault (vault 4) also had

an electronic temperature and relative humidity sensor. It read 12 C with a relative

humidity of 72%. Per IPI, this vault was not at risk for mold growth and the natural

aging metric was listed as “OK”, however both the mechanical damage and metal

corrosion metrics showed a risk.

One of the features of the electronic sensors is a limited ability to track the high

and low temperatures recorded during a period of time. I checked the second floor

sensor and discovered that the current, low, and high temperatures were all 12 C,

which leads me to believe that the sensor is not tracking properly. This can usually be

corrected by either resetting the sensor, or replacing the batteries. Staff also indicated

the sensors are about 13 years old and have never been calibrated since they were

put into service. It is probably best to replace these limited sensors with more

sophisticated data loggers, which have the ability to track both the temperature and

relative humidity at regular intervals over extended periods of time. This will enable

the archive to better monitor the vault conditions which can then be used to assist design

engineers and architects in the design of possible improvements.

Other areas of the archive building were also toured. Notable issues include

evidence of water leaks in many rooms. There is a likely case of black mold in the

ceiling and wall of the archives reference library as a result of continuing leaks in that

area. Most disturbing and potentially the most dangerous finding was evidence of

foundation settling in the front center of the building. The rooms where the films are

inspected and the adjacent room with spare equipment and supplies had a horrific

crack running from the bottom back corner up to the opposite upper corner of the wall.

This crack had completely separated, and seems indicative of a severely undermined

foundation in that particular area. The archive has had a solution designed that is

intended to stabilize the foundation all along the front of the archive building, and it is

hoped that this work will be undertaken as soon as practical.


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Black mold on research library ceiling Wall crack in film inspection room

There are other issues at the Archive unrelated to the facility itself. These include

the need for additional digital storage, equipment repair/upgrades, etc. These are not

addressed in this report specifically as they are not within the scope of what I was

asked to review.

HOXHA ERA TUNNELS

On Tuesday morning we departed the hotel to go on the tour of the cold war

bunkers arranged by the Department of State and the AQSHF. The bunker complexes

are currently under the control of the Defense Ministry, so we were escorted by an

officer of the Albanian military, and all of the complexes we visited were actively

guarded by the military. We visited a total of three complexes, all of which were 45

minutes or more from the archives location, and either up in the mountains or in the

foothills surrounding Tirana. Special thanks to Eriona Vyshka for providing the names of

the complexes as well as the directions relative to Tirana and the AQSHF archives.

Bunker complex #1: Surreli tunnels

The first complex was outside of the little town of Surrel, just on the other side of

Dajti Mountain northeast of the archive location. It was located in a hollow a short

distance below the highest elevation that the access road across the mountain achieved.

Access to the bunkers was by a gravel road extending several hundred meters from the

main road. It was not possible for the van that we traveled in to traverse the road so

we hiked back to the bunker complex. As we arrived at the complex we were met by

an armed soldier who guards the complex for the Albanian military. There is a large

support building outside the bunker that even though it was in disrepair, does provide

some shelter and office space for the soldier(s) that guard the location.


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Gravel road leading to Surreli tunnels Awaiting opening of tunnel, support bldg. in background

After we arrived we had to wait approximately a half hour or so because the

bunker was locked and the soldier did not have the key. While we were waiting, one of

the archive staff learned from the soldier that someone from the “Albanian Library”

had come to investigate the bunker for possible use for the storage of books but had

decided that it was not suitable due to high humidity. Once the key arrived it was

quickly discovered that the lock was rusted shut. The soldiers retrieved some liquid

(penetrating oil?) in an effort to remove the corrosion from the lock. This was not

immediately successful, but the lock finally opened after the soldier pounded it with a

rock, hit it with a shovel, and then finally pried it loose with a pick axe. Opening the

door required the clearing of several inches of soil and plant matter from the front of

the door before it could be successfully pried open. It seemed obvious that the

“Albanian Library” folks had not been in the bunker for several years, or that they had

not actually entered it at all.

Entrance to Surreli tunnel Opening of tunnel by Albanian military

As we were entering we learned that this particular bunker had been designed

as a hospital for treating wounded soldiers (in the event of a foreign invasion). There

was a series of small entrance rooms each with a door that could be closed to provide

additional protection, that finally opened up to several large rooms perhaps 50 sq.

meters in size or so. The floors were finished with polished stone tiles in quarter meter

squares, and there were several piles of debris scattered throughout the rooms. Several

of us used our cell phones to light the way as there was no power in the tunnels and no

one thought to bring lanterns or flashlights. The walls had a smooth concrete finish


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appearance and curved gracefully up to the ceilings. There was some sort of central

round duct (likely fresh air) that ran the length of the rooms just above head level.

Views inside Surreli tunnels

Surprisingly there was little evidence of water encroachment or moisture of any

type, as the dirt on the floor was quite loose and there was little to no staining on the

walls or ceiling that could be identified as likely water incursions. Other than a slightly

“musty” odor upon entering the tunnel, the air seemed fresh and dry. Even though there

was no electric service in the tunnel, there were light fixtures, switches, electrical junction

boxes, conduits, and wiring. There was also piping which appeared to be for fresh

water.

As we neared the far end of the second large room, it was open on the left side

and as we made our way into that space the wall finish changed into some sort of

white finished plastic or fiberglass panels. We had apparently entered the “hospital

ward” space. Once again there were two larger rooms, on par with the two on the

other side of the complex. There were some old gauges on the walls, fluorescent light

fixtures overhead, and a long ceramic sink in one of the rooms. This might have been

intended as an operating room. The exit from this room led to two narrow corridors with

doors and eventually led to another outside exit door.

“Hospital ward” within Surreli tunnel complex


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More “Hospital ward” within Surreli tunnel complex

Once we were outside the bunker complex the guard was asked where the fresh

air supply was located and he indicated that the duct work ran eventually underground

and came up just to the right of the opening of the bunker, perhaps 10 meters away.

He also said that infrastructure had all been destroyed. All that was visible was a bent

pipe with a flange at the end of it that might have been coupled to some sort of air

pump at one time.

All in all there was maybe 300 sq. meters (by our rough calculations) of usable

space inside this bunker complex. A considerable amount of cleaning and retrofitting

would obviously need to be done before it could be used, and the gravel roadway

would need to be improved in order to permit a truck or other vehicles to make their

way up the hollow from the main road.

Bunker complex #2: Mëlçiza tunnel

The second bunker complex was in the foothills north of Tirana, in a region known

as Zallherr, near the town of Mëlçizë. It took us around 45-50 minutes to arrive there

after leaving the first complex. Once we pulled off the main road, it was surprising to

see that the group needed to cross an absolute wreck of a bridge in order to get

across the river to visit the bunker complex. I managed to walk 20 or 30 feet onto the

bridge before deciding not to risk crossing, as it was swaying both up and down as well

as side to side, with nothing to hang on to. The bridge decking was made up of

splintered boards, scrap wood, tree branches for cross members in some areas, and

was mostly wide open to the river some 20 feet below. In the distance automated

weapons fire could be heard, apparently a training exercise at a nearby military base.


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Access bridge to Mëlçiza tunnel

While applauding the intestinal fortitude of the other members of our visiting

party, it was quite frankly surprising that the Albanian’s felt this was a reasonable

alternative for relocating the archive’s collection. After speaking with those that did

cross the bridge, the bunker complex consisted of 10 tunnels. Eight of them were filled

with scrap metal and thus were unavailable. Of the remaining two, one was filled with

water and was deemed not suitable, and the other was quite dirty. The total available

space in this complex was not nearly what would be required for use by the archive.

Bunker complex #3: Ndroqi tunnel

The third bunker complex was located within some picturesque foothills, southwest

of Tirana just outside of the small town of Ndroq. The complex is located

approximately ½ hour from Skenderbeg square in the center of Tirana, based upon

the amount of time it took us to return there from the complex in the afternoon traffic.

Once we arrived at the turn off of the main road, we were able to only drive a few

hundred meters before the van could not negotiate itself up the remaining gravel road

to the complex. We walked the remaining way up hill past many picturesque olive

trees, and a number of familiar farm smells. It was not an unpleasant experience.

We were again met be a member of the Albanian military, but unlike our

previous two stops, this soldier was not armed. This particular bunker complex consisted

of tunnels which interconnected in groupings of 4 each for the first 8. We walked

through the first 4, and were very pleasantly surprised by their excellent condition.


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There appeared to be very little humidity in the tunnels even though all of the doors

were open and the temperature inside was pleasantly cool.

The floors were very dirty, in fact they may have been dirt floors, and there was

a slight incline in some of them. Elian Stefa (an architect by training) estimated that is

was no more than one degree of inclination. Once again there did not appear to be

any encroachment by water into the tunnels. The walls were of a smooth

plaster/concrete finish, the ceilings were also curved, but the first bay had a peaked

steel skeleton for a roof. There were light fixtures, wiring, and switches, but once again

no power. Each of the 4 interconnected bays had its own entranceway. The group

seemed united in agreeing that these tunnels had the potential for being made into a

storage complex for the archives films, as well as possible research/museum/teaching

center.

Views of Ndroqi tunnel complex


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MEETING WITH MINISTER BUMCI

Regina Longo, Thomas Logoreci, Iris Elezi, Elvira Diamanti, Eriona Vyshka, and

myself met with Minister of Culture Aldo Bumci on November 9. When discussions

turned to our visit and our first impressions of the tunnels, I indicated that the third set

of tunnels in Ndroq were the most promising of the complexes that we had visited. I

also added that a certain amount of investment would need to be made in order to

both confirm that they were suitable as well as make them operational. Minister Bumci

was gratified to hear that we had located a potential site for the film collection, and

then suggested that the US Embassy could perhaps provide funding to help. Dr. Longo

cautioned that while the Embassy can write grants in aid, their budget is very small. The

Embassy staff had indicated in our briefing with them the day before that Minister

Bumci might imply that the Embassy would/could fund the retrofit of the tunnels, and

should be cautioned against expecting that as a viable option.

Minister Bumci also mentioned the new state archive for the Marubi collection,

Albania’s oldest and most precious photo negatives dating from the 1860’s. This

archive located in Shkodra, was recently completed and Minister Bumci wondered if it

could also potentially be a place of residence for the motion picture collection. Bumci

also indicated that there was a lack of expertise at the new facility (I took this to mean

technical expertise in conservation) and wondered if we could be of service there as

well as in Tirana.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The AQSHF building as currently constructed, configured, and maintained is

placing the national film collection of Albania at risk. Remediation efforts to stabilize

the front of the archive facility have been designed and planned, and will certainly

help to insure worker safety. However this construction when it takes place will not

solve the problem of stabilizing the environment within the film storage vaults nor

the problem with water encroachment. It would be helpful to characterize the extent

of the problem environment within the film vaults. While there are several electronic

thermometer/relative humidity devices in the vaults, they are not capable of providing

tracking information because they don’t have that feature. Electronic data loggers that

measure the temperature and relative humidity at regular intervals are needed. This

information can then be downloaded and entered into a specialized program such as

the service provided by the Image Permanence Institute, which then analyzes the data

at no cost.

A number of things need to happen before the Ndroqi tunnels can be considered

suitable for the storage of motion picture film. Just as it is with the film vaults it is

important that the environment within the tunnels be characterized for an extended


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period of time. This can easily be done by also placing electronic data loggers inside

the tunnels to monitor the temperature and relative humidity for a period of time. The

period of time should cover the most extreme weather typically experienced in the

area, including both high and low temperatures as well as the relative humidity

extremes.

Once the environments in both the vaults and the Ndroqi tunnels are

characterized, decisions on the next steps can be made. It would not be surprising to

find that the tunnels up in the mountains are more stable naturally than the vaults

building in the middle of Tirana, due to the frequent problems with electrical supply

and equipment breakdowns. The key to success will be to determine the quickest and

least expensive way to place the film in a stable environment.

Under the assumption that the Ndroqi tunnels are a viable alternative, planning

can begin immediately for an eventual move of the film collections to them. Current

understanding is that responsibility for the tunnels must be transferred from the military

to the Minister of Culture. This should take place as soon as practical. Any plans or

drawings of the Ndroqi tunnels that exist should also be transferred or made available

so that they can be studied. In addition to placing data loggers in the tunnels, it is also

important to measure the tunnels in order to verify that there will be enough suitable

space. Preplanning for improvements to the road as well as for providing electricity

and running water to the tunnels can also take place as soon as practical. Once the

dimensions of the tunnels are known, then preplanning for the installation of flooring

and shelving can also begin.

Short term improvements in work flow might reap benefits for the collection at

the current location in Tirana. Staff should as a matter of policy enter the film vaults as

few times during the day as possible, ideally just once in the morning to get the day’s

work and once in the evening to return the films to their storage locations. It is also

recommended that whenever the vaults are not being cooled properly no matter what

the specific reason (a result of equipment failure, electric power interruption, etc.) that

staff should not enter the vaults at all. If the cooling goes down during the middle of a

work shift after film has already been removed for the day, then staff can continue to

work on the films already removed, and then place them back at the end of the work

shift. Further entrance into the vaults should not be made until such time as proper

cooling is restored.

An effort should be made to seal the freight elevator both on the roof as well as

the first and second floors. This can be done simply and inexpensively with painted

plywood or fiberboard, some caulking and screws or nails. This should help to prevent

the incursion of unconditioned air into the film vaults whenever the doors are opened. In

addition it is recommended that the doors themselves not be propped open any longer


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than necessary to move film into or out of the vaults. Finally, the openings for the door

hardware should be sealed (duct tape?) on the inside of the doors to prevent leakage.

An effort to keep water from pooling around various areas of the foundation of

the building might bear substantial fruit in minimizing the water incursion, especially in

the vaults. The leaking water tank that supplies the water for the swamp cooler should

be replaced and relocated away from the vaults building. If replacement is not an

option, then perhaps fabricating a drain pan to fit underneath the tank would be an

alternative. The drain must be run substantially away from the building, perhaps to the

nearby sewer.

Grounds keeping maintenance around the outside of the film vaults should be

done in order to trim the bushes and remove the vast amounts of weeds and other plant

growth. This should allow the sun to help to dry out the soil in contact with the

foundation. There are a number of areas where the down spout pipes from the roof

drains all deposit water in the same area. Extending the piping to areas further away

from the foundation near the perimeter of the property could help significantly.

It is important that the Archive staff understand that the collection that is so near

and dear to their hearts is under daily stress and that small, cost efficient or no-cost

changes can sometimes reap large benefits. Many of the above recommendations and

types of solutions should be relatively inexpensive and could probably be

accomplished by the maintenance staff already at the archive or with temporary

contract workers. Planning and discussions amongst senior staff should begin

immediately to determine what is possible and how soon it can be accomplished.

Finally with regards to Minister Bumci’s musing regarding the possibility of

relocating the film archive to Shkodra, this should be followed up in some way, but with

caution. His comment about a “lack of expertise” should be clarified as to what the still

archives are lacking in this manner. Also, if the vaults in Shkodra are not substantially

better than what are currently in Tirana, the move would not benefit the archives

collections. Relocating would also likely mean that the staff of the archive would move

on to other jobs rather than relocate and the resultant loss of expertise would be

extremely difficult to replace. Finally, the Archive provides an access service to

students, film makers, and the public in Tirana, home to roughly a third of the

population of the entire country. This program allows them to view, study, and enjoy

their Albanian cinema heritage. Relocating the archive to Shkodra would have a

devastating effect on this program.

SPECIAL THANKS

Credit should be given to all of the staff of the Albanian Film Archive for being

proactive and willing to invite outsiders into their facility. It is not easy to allow others to

come in for the purposes of evaluating operations and facilities that they know to be


21 | P a g e

substandard. Their openness and forthright willingness to discuss their circumstances was

as refreshing as it was sobering.

My personal thanks go to Director Elvira Diamanti, Eriona Vyshka, and Andi

Lubonja for their very personal attention during the visit. While the Archive and its staff

have some potentially tough times ahead, I have no doubt of their deep love of their

country’s film heritage and look forward to much better times ahead.

I would also like to thank my fellow ACP comrades during this visit. Without the

help of Dr. Regina Longo, Jean-Phillipe Voiron, Elian Stefa, Roxanne Suratgar, Thomas

Logoreci, and Iris Elezi neither my visit nor this report would have been possible.

Finally to Niles Cole, Elizabeth (Betsy) Lewis, Mirela Cupi and the rest of the US

Mission in Tirana my sincerest thanks and appreciation for their support of this initiative,

assistance with the travel arrangements, and in general a job well done. Falaminderit!

Arkivi Qendror Shteteror i Filmit: The Albanian Film Archive

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Transcript of Arkivi Qendror Shteteror i Filmit: The Albanian Film Archive