"340,000"

The Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) presents "340,000", a short documentary film about the Salvem les Fotos UPV / Recovering Memories project, which has enabled the recovery of thousands of family photographs damaged by the dana storm on 29 October 2024.

The documentary traces the development of this project, which was boosted by a team from the Faculty of Fine Arts and the Institute for Heritage Restoration at the UPV. Its title refers specifically to the total number of photographs the UPV team has worked on over the last two years, combining techniques for the conservation and restoration of photographs and researching new solutions, as well as recovering damaged or missing parts of the photographs using artificial intelligence tools – in this case, in collaboration with the UPV's VRAIN Institute and the ValgrAI Foundation.

The documentary will be screened tomorrow, Thursday 22 October, at Catarroja Town Hall, where the project's latest milestones will be presented.

Two years of research into conservation and restoration and 340,000 photos saved

"340,000" traces the journey from November 2024, when the project laboratory was launched at the UPV's Faculty of Fine Arts, to the present day. Over the course of these nearly two years, the project has mobilised more than 200 people – including research staff, restoration professionals, students and volunteers – who have worked to recover nearly 3,000 photo albums belonging to some 400 families.

The documentary centres on three interviews with Esther Nebot, Pilar Soriano and Pedro Vicente, co-directors of 'Salvem les fotos UPV / Recuperar las memorias'. Through their testimonies, it recounts how the project came about – "unforgettable experiences and anecdotes for the whole project team" – the main challenges the team has faced, and the next steps in a project "that will remain forever in our memories", as Esther Nebot, Pilar Soriano and Pedro Vicente all agree.

AI in the service of memory

"340,000" also examines the use of artificial intelligence for restoring damaged photographs. To this end, it features an interview with César Ferri, a researcher at the VRAIN Institute of the UPV and at ValgrAI, who explores the possibilities this technology has offered for the digital restoration of damaged images.

It also features the testimony of a family from Paiporta affected by the dana storm, to whom the UPV team also returned "photographs of immense emotional value, in a project which, for us," the family notes, "has been healing".

A production by the UPV's Communication Area

"340,000" is a production by the Communication Area of the Universitat Politècnica de València. The team included Alejandro Simón (production); Amparo Berbegal and Rafael Rufete (cinematography); and Luis Zurano (director). It also features footage provided by David Linuesa.

The documentary also forms part of the university's annual scientific dissemination and outreach programme, which receives support from the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT) – Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities.

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