CCAAA Declaration about the situation of the Cinemateca Brasileira
The Board of the Co-ordinating Council of Audiovisual Archives Associations (CCAAA) wishes to add its voice to the many individuals and organizations, in Brazil and internationally, who have expressed their deep concern about the extremely difficult situation of the Cinemateca Brasileira in São Paulo.
The CCAAA traces its origins to UNESCO’s Recommendation for the Safeguarding and Preservation of Moving Images (1980). It represents the interests of nine worldwide professional archive organizations (AMIA, ARSC, FIAF, FIAT-IFTA, FOCAL International, IASA, ICA, SEAPAVAA, IFLA), whose main missions are to encourage, promote and celebrate the preservation and accessibility of the world's audiovisual heritage in all its forms.
The Cinemateca Brasileira has been one of the custodians of Brazil’s rich film heritage since the 1950s. The quality of its work is recognized internationally, thanks to in particular to several generations of highly skilled professionals who have lent their expertise and dedication to the institution. However, over the last year the Cinemateca has desperately lacked the financial and administrative support it needs to carry out its missions effectively. As a result, its unique audiovisual collections, which are by definition very fragile and require constant and meticulous care, are at great risk of being lost forever. The recent news that the entire staff of the institution has officially been dismissed is particularly worrying, as this latest development can only have catastrophic consequences on the safety of those collections. We all still have in mind the many fires and floods that have affected the institution in the past, due to the endemic lack of resources.
We therefore urgently call on all relevant stakeholders, funding, policy and government agencies responsible for the stewardship of this priceless heritage to take the full measure of this dramatic situation into account and find an urgent solution. At a minimum we call for the funding needed to be made available to the Cinemateca Brasileira to carry out its essential missions before it is too late. The demise of this highly respected institution now would be an immeasurable blow to Brazil’s cultural memory.
Toby Seay, Chair of the CCAAA
On behalf of the CCAAA Board
6 October 2020
CCAAA Declaration about the situation of the Cinemateca Brasileira
The Board of the Co-ordinating Council of Audiovisual Archives Associations (CCAAA) wishes to add its voice to the many individuals and organizations, in Brazil and internationally, who have expressed their deep concern about the extremely difficult situation of the Cinemateca Brasileira in São Paulo.
The CCAAA traces its origins to UNESCO’s Recommendation for the Safeguarding and Preservation of Moving Images (1980). It represents the interests of nine worldwide professional archive organizations (AMIA, ARSC, FIAF, FIAT-IFTA, FOCAL International, IASA, ICA, SEAPAVAA, IFLA), whose main missions are to encourage, promote and celebrate the preservation and accessibility of the world's audiovisual heritage in all its forms.
The Cinemateca Brasileira has been one of the custodians of Brazil’s rich film heritage since the 1950s. The quality of its work is recognized internationally, thanks to in particular to several generations of highly skilled professionals who have lent their expertise and dedication to the institution. However, over the last year the Cinemateca has desperately lacked the financial and administrative support it needs to carry out its missions effectively. As a result, its unique audiovisual collections, which are by definition very fragile and require constant and meticulous care, are at great risk of being lost forever. The recent news that the entire staff of the institution has officially been dismissed is particularly worrying, as this latest development can only have catastrophic consequences on the safety of those collections. We all still have in mind the many fires and floods that have affected the institution in the past, due to the endemic lack of resources.
We therefore urgently call on all relevant stakeholders, funding, policy and government agencies responsible for the stewardship of this priceless heritage to take the full measure of this dramatic situation into account and find an urgent solution. At a minimum we call for the funding needed to be made available to the Cinemateca Brasileira to carry out its essential missions before it is too late. The demise of this highly respected institution now would be an immeasurable blow to Brazil’s cultural memory.
Toby Seay, Chair of the CCAAA
On behalf of the CCAAA Board
6 October 2020
