Inside the koothambalam (temple theatre) at Vyloppilly Samskrithi Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram, Marianna De Sanctis peers closely at an old film reel, using cleaning agents and tapes to return it to its old glory. Gathered in rapt attention around her are students ranging in age from the 20s to the 50s, the latest entrants into the emerging field of film restoration.