The FIAT/IFTA World Conference 2026 took place on October 6–9 in São Paulo, Brazil, welcoming over 200 attendees! Under the theme Screen Memories in Dialogue: Learning from Diversity, the 50th edition marked a new milestone for FIAT/IFTA.

Join us as we look back on the highlights of this remarkable event.

FIAT/IFTA has made available a selection of pictures to view and download.

We’ve also curated a small selection of pictures from the conference for those who couldn’t join us!

Image credits: Caio Brito, Alexandre R. Pereira

FIAT/IFTA’s three-day conference had over 60 sessions comprised of presentations and panel discussions. The conference also counted with a pre-conference day, with FIAT/IFTA Commission meetings, workshops, and a welcome cocktail.

Our Keynote sessions were given by:

• Michela Giorelli, TV Executive Producer, Vicoforte Media Productions
• Maria Angela de Jesus, President, Fundação Padre Anchieta

You can access the entire programme on the scheduling tool Sched.

The FIAT/IFTA General Assembly took place on October 8th, opening with a report on the 2024–2026 period, presented by Interim General Secretary Delphine Wibaux (INA) and the new General Secretary, Patrick McIntyre (NFSA). Treasurer Brecht Declercq (RSI) presented the accounts for the past financial year, along with a proposal to adjust membership fees, which was approved by a majority of Full members.

Virginia Bazán-Gil (RTVE) was reelected as President, joined by new members of the Executive Council for 2026–2030:

• Pilar Auserón Marruedo (ATRESMEDIA)
• René Duursma (Groninger Archieven)
• Eppo van Nispen tot Sevenaer (Nederlands Instituut voor Beeld en Geluid)
• Gabriela Sousa de Queiroz (Cinemateca Brasileira)
• Alistair Blake (Reuters)
• Delphine Wibaux (INA)

The community also thanked the Executive Council 2024–2026 for its work, especially its outgoing members.

The FIAT/IFTA Archive Achievement Awards ceremony occurred on the Thursday, October 8th, evening at the Grande Otelo Foyer in the Cinemateca Brasileira. During the event, the FIAT/IFTA community celebrated the achievements of our colleagues.

The 2026 award winners were:

• Excellence in Media Management: “Bowerbird Australian Speech Engine: Unlocking the Australian National Audiovisual Collection with AI Archive” by the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia.
• Excellence in Media Preservation: “Reuters Bureau Rushes Preservation Project” by Reuters.
• Excellence in Unlocking the Value and Potential of Archives: “Data.ina.fr” by INA.
• Excellence in Archive Production: “Vienna Killing: Jack Unterweger” by ORF / The Thursday Company.

The Lifetime Achievement Award 2026 was presented to Perla Olivia Rodríguez Reséndiz, recognising her remarkable contributions to the preservation of sound and audiovisual heritage.

You can learn more about the winners and shortlisted nominees of the 2026 edition of the FIAT/IFTA Archive Achievement Awards here.

During the Closing Session of the FIAT/IFTA World Conference 2026, Virginia Bazán-Gil announced the host and location of next year’s edition, a very special one as it will mark the 50th anniversary of FIAT/IFTA.

We are proud to share that the FIAT/IFTA World Conference 2027 will be held in Paris, France, with the generous support of our host, INA.

The Federation was founded in Paris on 4 October 1977 at the initiative of INA and several European media organisations, so this edition is a return to where it all began.

More information will be available on the FIAT/IFTA World Conference page at a later date.