diff --git a/pandora/annotation/tasks.py b/pandora/annotation/tasks.py
index 4684ad86a..3d3088ebd 100644
--- a/pandora/annotation/tasks.py
+++ b/pandora/annotation/tasks.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import json
 import ox
 
 from django.conf import settings
+from django.db import transaction
 from celery.task import task
 
 import models
@@ -63,6 +64,33 @@ def update_matches(id, type):
         for e in a_matches.all():
             e.update_matches(models.Annotation.objects.filter(pk=a.id))
 
+@task(ignore_results=False, queue='default')
+def add_annotations(data):
+    from item.models import Item
+    from user.models import User
+    item = Item.objects.get(itemId=data['item'])
+    layer_id = data['layer']
+    layer = filter(lambda l: l['id'] == layer_id, settings.CONFIG['layers'])[0]
+    user = User.objects.get(username=data['user'])
+    with transaction.commit_on_success():
+        for a in data['annotations']:
+            annotation = models.Annotation(
+                item=item,
+                layer=layer_id,
+                user=user,
+                start=float(a['in']), end=float(a['out']),
+                value=a['value'])
+            annotation.save()
+        #update facets if needed
+        if filter(lambda f: f['id'] == layer_id, settings.CONFIG['filters']):
+            item.update_layer_facet(layer_id)
+        Item.objects.filter(id=item.id).update(modified=annotation.modified)
+        annotation.item.modified = annotation.modified
+        annotation.item.update_find()
+        annotation.item.update_sort()
+        annotation.item.update_facets()
+    return True
+
 @task(ignore_results=True, queue='default')
 def update_item(id):
     from item.models import Item
diff --git a/pandora/annotation/views.py b/pandora/annotation/views.py
index 6cd04af19..3a632266f 100644
--- a/pandora/annotation/views.py
+++ b/pandora/annotation/views.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ from item import utils
 from item.models import Item
 
 import models
-from tasks import update_item
+from tasks import update_item, add_annotations
 
 def parse_query(data, user):
     query = {}
@@ -157,6 +157,45 @@ def addAnnotation(request):
     return render_to_json_response(response)
 actions.register(addAnnotation, cache=False)
 
+@login_required_json
+def addAnnotations(request):
+    '''
+        param data {
+            item: itemId,
+            layer: layerId,
+            annotations: [{
+                in: float,
+                out: float,
+                value: string
+            }, ...]
+        }
+        return {'status': {'code': int, 'text': string},
+                'data': {
+                    id: 123, //id of new annotation
+                    ...
+                }
+        }
+    '''
+    data = json.loads(request.POST['data'])
+    for key in ('item', 'layer', 'annotations'):
+        if key not in data:
+            return render_to_json_response(json_response(status=400,
+                                                         text='invalid data'))
+
+    item = get_object_or_404_json(Item, itemId=data['item'])
+    
+    layer_id = data['layer']
+    layer = filter(lambda l: l['id'] == layer_id, settings.CONFIG['layers'])[0]
+    if item.editable(request.user) \
+        and layer['canAddAnnotations'].get(request.user.get_profile().get_level()):
+        response = json_response()
+        data['user'] = request.user.username
+        t = add_annotations.delay(data)
+        response['data']['taskId'] = t.task_id
+    else:
+        response = json_response(status=403, text='permission denied')
+    return render_to_json_response(response)
+actions.register(addAnnotations, cache=False)
 
 @login_required_json
 def removeAnnotation(request):
diff --git a/pandora/archive/views.py b/pandora/archive/views.py
index f23ee960d..d0ba76ccf 100644
--- a/pandora/archive/views.py
+++ b/pandora/archive/views.py
@@ -285,7 +285,10 @@ def firefogg_upload(request):
 def taskStatus(request):
     #FIXME: should check if user has permissions to get status
     data = json.loads(request.POST['data'])
-    task_id = data['task_id']
+    if 'taskId' in data:
+        task_id = data['taskId']
+    else:
+        task_id = data['task_id']
     response = task_status(request, task_id)
     return render_to_json_response(response)
 actions.register(taskStatus, cache=False)
diff --git a/pandora/config.indiancinema.jsonc b/pandora/config.indiancinema.jsonc
index 2727a23b1..ef327adec 100644
--- a/pandora/config.indiancinema.jsonc
+++ b/pandora/config.indiancinema.jsonc
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
         "canEditPlaces": {"student": true, "staff": true, "admin": true},
         "canEditSitePages": {"staff": true, "admin": true},
         "canEditUsers": {"staff": true, "admin": true},
-        "canImportAnnotations": {},
+        "canImportAnnotations": {"admin": true},
         "canManagePlacesAndEvents": {"student": true, "staff": true, "admin": true},
         "canManageTitlesAndNames": {"student": true, "staff": true, "admin": true},
         "canManageUsers": {"staff": true, "admin": true},
diff --git a/static/js/pandora/importAnnotations.js b/static/js/pandora/importAnnotations.js
index 17b1b5738..93f78fe22 100644
--- a/static/js/pandora/importAnnotations.js
+++ b/static/js/pandora/importAnnotations.js
@@ -4,18 +4,17 @@
 pandora.ui.importAnnotations = function(data) {
     var content = Ox.Element().css({margin: '16px'}),
         file,
-        height = 192,
+        height = 128,
         layers = pandora.site.layers.filter(function(layer) {
             return layer.canAddAnnotations[pandora.user.level];
         }),
         layer,
-        width = 384,
         srt = [],
         total = 0,
         importButton,
         selectLayer,
         selectFile,
-        that = Ox.Dialog({
+        that = pandora.ui.iconDialog({
             buttons: [
                 Ox.Button({
                     id: 'close',
@@ -32,20 +31,16 @@ pandora.ui.importAnnotations = function(data) {
                 }).bindEvent({
                     click: function() {
                         importButton.hide();
-                        selectLayer.hide();
-                        selectFile.hide();
-                        addAnnotation();
+                        addAnnotations();
                     }
                 })
             ],
             closeButton: true,
-            content: content,
+            text: content,
             keys: {
                 'escape': 'close'
             },
-            height: height,
             removeOnClose: true,
-            width: width,
             title: 'Import Annotations'
         })
         .bindEvent({
@@ -54,39 +49,50 @@ pandora.ui.importAnnotations = function(data) {
             }
         }),
         $status = $('<div>').css({
-            padding: '4px'
-        });
+            padding: '4px',
+            paddingBottom: '8px'
+        }).appendTo(content);
 
-    function addAnnotation() {
+    setStatus('Please select layer and .srt file')
+    function addAnnotations() {
+        var annotations, task;
         if (srt.length > 0) {
-            var data = srt.shift();
-            data.text = Ox.sanitizeHTML(data.text)
-                .replace(/<br[ /]*?>\n/g, '\n')
-                .replace(/\n\n/g, '<br>\n')
-                .replace(/\n/g, '<br>\n');
-            $status.html(
-                Ox.formatDuration(data['in']) + ' to '
-                + Ox.formatDuration(data.out) + '<br>\n' + data.text
-            );
-            pandora.api.addAnnotation({
-                'in': data['in'],
-                out: data.out,
-                value: data.text,
+            setStatus('Loading...');
+            var annotations = srt.filter(function(data) {
+                return !Ox.isUndefined(data['in']) && !Ox.isUndefined(data.out) && data.text;
+            
+            }).map(function(data) {
+                return {
+                    'in': data['in'],
+                    out: data.out,
+                    value: Ox.sanitizeHTML(data.text)
+                        .replace(/<br[ /]*?>\n/g, '\n')
+                        .replace(/\n\n/g, '<br>\n')
+                        .replace(/\n/g, '<br>\n')
+                };
+            });
+            pandora.api.addAnnotations({
+                annotations: annotations,
                 item: pandora.user.ui.item,
                 layer: layer
             }, function(result) {
-                if (result.status.code == 200) {
-                    addAnnotation();
+                if (result.data.taskId) {
+                    setStatus('Waiting or server to import annotations...');
+                    pandora.wait(result.data.taskId, function(result) {
+                        if(result.data.status == 'SUCCESS') {
+                            setStatus(annotations.length + ' annotations imported.');
+                            Ox.Request.clearCache(pandora.user.ui.item);
+                            pandora.$ui.contentPanel.replaceElement(
+                                1, pandora.$ui.item = pandora.ui.item()
+                            );
+                        } else {
+                            setStatus('Importing annotations failed.');
+                        }
+                    });
                 } else {
-                    content.html('Failed');
+                    setStatus('Importing annotations failed.');
                 }
             });
-        } else {
-            $status.html(total + ' annotations imported.');
-            Ox.Request.clearCache(pandora.user.ui.item);
-            pandora.$ui.contentPanel.replaceElement(
-                1, pandora.$ui.item = pandora.ui.item()
-            );
         }
     }
     function parseSRT(data) {
@@ -103,14 +109,17 @@ pandora.ui.importAnnotations = function(data) {
         }
         return srt;
     }
-    content.append($('<div>').css({
-        padding: '4px',
-        paddingBottom: '16px'
-    }).html('Import annotations from .srt file:'));
+
+    function setStatus(status) {
+        $status.html(status);
+    }
+
     selectLayer = Ox.Select({
             items: layers,
-            title: 'select...',
-            label: 'Layer'
+            title: 'Select Layer',
+        })
+        .css({
+            margin: '4px 2px 4px 4px'
         })
         .bindEvent({
             change: function(data) {
@@ -123,28 +132,33 @@ pandora.ui.importAnnotations = function(data) {
         })
         .appendTo(content);
 
-    selectFile = $('<input>')
-        .attr({
-            type: 'file'
+    selectFile = Ox.FileButton({
+            image: 'upload',
+            lbael: 'File',
+            title: 'Select SRT...',
+            width: 156
         })
         .css({
-            padding: '8px'
+            margin: '4px 2px 4px 4px'
         })
-        .on({
-            change: function(event) {
-                if (this.files.length) {
-                    file = this.files[0];
+        .bindEvent({
+            click: function(data) {
+                if(data.files.length) {
                     var reader = new FileReader();
                     reader.onloadend = function(event) {
                         srt = parseSRT(this.result);
                         total = srt.length;
-                        total && layer && importButton.options({disabled: false});
-                        $status.html(
+                        if(total && layer) {
+                            importButton.options({disabled: false});
+                            selectLayer.hide();
+                            selectFile.hide();
+                        }
+                        setStatus(
                             'File contains ' + total + ' annotation'
                             + (total == 1 ? '' : 's') + '.'
                         );
                     };
-                    reader.readAsText(file);
+                    reader.readAsText(data.files[0]);
                 } else {
                     srt = [];
                     total = 0;
@@ -155,6 +169,6 @@ pandora.ui.importAnnotations = function(data) {
             }
         })
         .appendTo(content);
-    content.append($status);
+
     return that;
 };
diff --git a/static/js/pandora/utils.js b/static/js/pandora/utils.js
index 6b3a1835d..8be49880b 100644
--- a/static/js/pandora/utils.js
+++ b/static/js/pandora/utils.js
@@ -1401,7 +1401,7 @@ pandora.beforeunloadWindow = function() {
         return "Encoding is currently running\nDo you want to leave this page?";
     //prevent error dialogs on unload
     pandora.isUnloading = true;
-}
+};
 
 pandora.unloadWindow = function() {
     /*
@@ -1439,6 +1439,24 @@ pandora.updateItemContext = function() {
     }
 };
 
+pandora.wait = function(taskId, callback, timeout) {
+    var task = {};
+    timeout = timeout || 5000;
+    task.timeout = setTimeout(function() {
+        pandora.api.taskStatus({taskId: taskId}, function(result) {
+            var t;
+            if(result.data.status == 'PENDING') {
+                t = pandora.wait(taskId, callback);
+                task.timeout = t.timeout;
+            } else {
+                callback(result);
+            }
+        });
+    }, 5000);
+    return task;
+};
+
+
 (function() {
 
     // Note: getFindState has to run after getListState and getFilterState