Jorge Prelorán Standing the Test of Time

Argentine-American documentary filmmaker Jorge Prelorán

Last May Chris Moore, a fellow from the National Museum of Natural History, traveled to Argentina where documentary film maker Jorge Prelorán filmed a movie over forty years ago. Moore brought with him the only living copy of the film and showed it to the local people. Moore was a part of a mission taken on by the anthropology department to reintroduce people to the work of Prelorán.

The mission is being headed by the Human Studies Film Archives which is another part of the department of anthropology at the Natural History Museum. The Archives has made an online hub for the project, which has involved preserving the film and screening them around the world. Prelorán made over 60 films in is lifetime, many of which only have one copy. In 2005 he donated his life’s work to the Smithsonian’s Human Studies Film Archives. Prelorán lived during a period where documentary film making was experiencing a renewed interest, to which he played a vital role.

To read more about Chris Moore and his travels talking about the influence of Jorge Prelorán, go here.