The 1970 Bengali classic Days and Nights in the Forest (Aranyer Din Ratri) is now available on the Criterion Channel in the United States and Canada in a new 4K restoration. A physical release is scheduled for Sept. 29.
The restoration was undertaken by The Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project at L’Immagine Ritrovata, in collaboration with the Film Heritage Foundation, Janus Films and the Criterion Collection. It was funded by the Golden Globe Foundation.
The restoration used the original camera and sound negatives preserved by producer Purnima Dutta, along with a magnetic track preserved at the BFI National Archive. L’Immagine Ritrovata carried out digital restoration on the picture and sound.
The restoration project began in 2019 after filmmaker Wes Anderson, a Film Foundation board member, suggested that the organization explore preserving the film. Work moved forward in 2020, with Shivendra Singh Dungarpur of the Film Heritage Foundation coordinating with the Dutta family, Ray’s son Sandip Ray and the restoration team.
The restored film had its world premiere in Cannes Classics in May 2025, presented by The Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project, the Film Heritage Foundation, Janus Films and the Criterion Collection.
The Criterion physical release will include a 4K UHD disc and Blu-ray, a new English subtitle translation, an introduction by Wes Anderson and new and archival material on Ray and the restoration.
The Criterion Channel edition also includes interviews with Ray, Sharmila Tagore, Rabi Ghosh and cinematographer Soumendu Roy, along with a conversation about the restoration featuring Tagore, Anderson and Dungarpur.
