FIAT/IFTA - Memory of Indigenous Peoples Seminar

December 15, 2025

cinemateca brasileira, INA, indigenous peoples, Seminar

FIAT/IFTA at the Memory of Indigenous Peoples Seminar

A seminar by Cinemateca Brasileira and INA

FIAT/IFTA was proud to take part in the seminar “Memory of Indigenous Peoples – France-Brazil crossed views on the challenges of preservation and access to audiovisual heritage: focus on the audiovisual memory of Indigenous Peoples”, held on September 11–12 at the Cinemateca Brasileira in São Paulo.

Organized by the Cinemateca Brasileira in collaboration with the Institut national de l’audiovisuel (INA), the seminar was part of the France-Brazil 2025 Season. The initiative created a space for dialogue around the representation, visibility, preservation, and access to Indigenous audiovisual heritage, bringing together Indigenous representatives, cultural institutions, archive professionals, and Brazilian and French researchers.

FIAT/IFTA’s contribution to international dialogue

FIAT/IFTA was represented by Rita Marques, member of the FIAT/IFTA Media Management Commission, who participated in the roundtable “Challenges in International Collaboration for the Preservation of Indigenous Audiovisual Heritage.”

The discussion focused on shared responsibilities, ethical collaboration, and sustainable models for safeguarding Indigenous audiovisual memory across borders, an area closely aligned with FIAT/IFTA’s mission to support professional exchange and capacity building in audiovisual archiving worldwide.

Rita Marques on representing FIAT/IFTA

“I had the honor of representing FIAT/IFTA alongside my colleagues, Danielly Silva Xokó, President of the Xokó Women’s Indigenous Association of the Ilha de São Pedro Community, and Drika de Oliveira of the International Federation of Film Archives. The moderator was Carlos Augusto Calil, President of the Board of Directors of the Cinemateca Brasileira.

In my presentation, I provided an overview of FIAT/IFTA, focusing on the themes of bringing expertise, rebuilding archives, and a detailed description of the ‘Save Your Archive’ program, presenting the promotional piece ‘Documentário Yuriparí,’ one of the projects supported by the program in 2014–2015.

A key moment in the program was the screening of films from the collections of the INA and the Cinemateca Brasileira, including the restored film Quelque Chose De L’arbre, Du Fleuve, Et Du Cri Du Peuple (1980) by Patrice Chagnard. This film was located at the INA at the request of the Xokó people, who were seeking a record of their struggle to reclaim their lands, which had been illegally appropriated by large landowners. On that occasion, the director signed the document granting rights to deliver a copy of the film to the Xokó people.

The seminar was extraordinary in showcasing the work of Brazilian Indigenous peoples—such as the Pataxó, Xicrin, Terena, Guarani, and Xokó—in reclaiming their memories through the organization and documentation of their archives, while also highlighting the role of Indigenous women in the transmission of knowledge.”

Through roundtables, screenings, and exhibitions, the seminar emphasized the critical role of audiovisual archives in transmitting knowledge and strengthening Indigenous cultural identities. It also highlighted ongoing scientific and professional collaborations led by INA and its Brazilian partners, reinforcing the importance of ethical international cooperation.