Still of the Chinese classic silent film Goddess. [Photo: gb.cri.cn]

A campaign has been launched to restore old Chinese celluloid films.

The China Film Foundation, the largest of its kind in the industry has announced that five classic productions have been restored so far.

These films include Song of the Fishermen which was made in 1934 and The External Wave, made in 1958.

Sun Xianghui, president of the archive says most of the film stocks can only be preserved well for four years as the films will shrink, scratch and tear.

In October, the archive's restored version of the Chinese classic silent film Goddess was premiered in the UK.