How does Hugo connect to Martin Scorsese’s work in film preservation?

Martin Scorsese’s 2011 film Hugo serves as a narrative reflection of his lifelong commitment to film preservation. The movie depicts the later life of pioneer filmmaker Georges Méliès, who, after his own work was largely destroyed or lost, lived in obscurity as a toy shop proprietor—a situation that mirrors the real-world vulnerability of cinematic history.12

In the film, the protagonist’s efforts to help Méliès regain his legacy highlight the importance of recovering lost heritage, a cause central to Scorsese’s career. Scorsese has actively championed this mission by founding the Film Foundation in 1990 to preserve American cinema and the World Cinema Foundation in 2007 to protect global film treasures. Through Hugo, Scorsese dramatizes the tragedy of forgotten art and underscores the ethical necessity of safeguarding the medium for future generations.1