Seventy-five silent films thought lost discovered in New Zealand

posted by CSWalczak on June 14, 2010 at 7:40 am

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND – A treasure trove of seventy-five silent films, many thought lost forever, has been discovered in the New Zealand Film Archive vault and are being returned to the United States for restoration and eventual exhibition. Among them is a very early John Ford-directed film called “Upstream” and films starring Mabel Normand and Clara Bow.

“These important films will be preserved and made available to both U.S. and New Zealand audiences to enjoy,” he told The New Zealand Herald newspaper Tuesday.

Film Archive corporate services manager Steve Russell said the films were discovered when American preservationist Brian Meacham visited last year.

Here’s the story as reported by the Associated Press.