Projections of Polonia: Conservation, Re-Housing, and Analysis of Films from the Polish Consulate in Toronto

The goal of this Master’s Research Paper was to oversee the conservation, repairs, and provenance research of 159 total film reels, 157 on 16mm and 2 on 35mm, that were in the possession of the Polish Consulate of Toronto from 1976 until 2012. To promote national pride and to divert attention from human rights atrocities under Communist policies, the Polish Consulate of Toronto, in partnership with the federal entity Towarzystwo Łączności z Polonią Zagraniczną “Polonia” (Society for Foreign Liaison with Poles), organized screenings of epic wartime feature films, children’s cartoons, and short travelogues, among other genres, that also aired on Polish television. However, the screenings of such films only strengthened the pride of the diaspora, who largely supported the Solidarność (Solidarity) movement. By contextualizing the films within the history of Polish cinema and nationhood, this project underscores the necessity to save films that served diplomatic, propagandistic, and patriotic purposes.