Key facts
- A consortium of European film archives is working to reconstruct Orson Welles's unfinished 'Don Quixote'.
- The project involves archives from Spain, France, Italy, and Germany.
- Over 70,000 meters of film material will be digitized and analyzed.
- The reconstruction aims to be as faithful as possible to Welles's vision without using AI or special effects.
- Esteve Riambau estimates the reconstruction could be completed by 2028.
A consortium of European film archivists, including institutions from Spain, France, Italy, and the Munich film museum, are undertaking the ambitious task of reconstructing Orson Welles's unfinished film adaptation of 'Don Quixote'. Welles began the project in 1957 and worked on it intermittently until his death in 1985, leaving behind approximately 70,000 meters of footage scattered across various archives.
Esteve Riambau, a Welles authority and the leader of the reconstruction effort, explained that the project is not a restoration but a reconstruction, aiming to present a coherent film based on Welles's vision without adding new material or using special effects. The team faces the challenge of digitizing a significant amount of film, including 50,000 meters of negative from the Cineteca Nazionale in Rome. Riambau noted that while there isn't a complete script, there is enough material to piece together a version of Welles's intended film.
Welles's adaptation is described as not being a faithful rendition of Miguel de Cervantes's classic novel, with some scenes significantly altered. Most of the footage is in black and white, though some color scenes exist. Where soundtracks are available, Welles himself voiced the characters of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. Riambau estimates that the reconstruction could be completed by 2028, viewing the project as a significant cultural addition to Welles's legacy.