Mapping Italy’s Non-Fiction Archival Landscape
Author(s)
Venturini, Simone
Date Issued
April 2026
Type
article
Volume
114
Start Page
33
End Page
41
Journal
Journal of Film Preservation
Abstract
This article presents the outcomes and conceptual framework of the SAFE research project (SAFE - The Sustainability of Italian Film Heritage: Archival Infrastructures, Digital Preservation, Stewardship Strategies), which investigates the long-term sustainability of Italian non-theatrical, non-fiction, and non-feature film archives. The research approaches sustainability as a multidimensional condition shaped by infrastructures, environmental constraints, labour practices, governance models, and cultural values. By focusing on archival institutions that have historically occupied marginal positions within national heritage policies, the project foregrounds questions of representational equity and cultural legitimacy in film preservation. Methodologically, SAFE integrates quantitative and qualitative approaches, including nationwide surveys, microclimatic monitoring of archival storage environments, and ethnographic research with archivists and professionals. We think sustainability in film heritage as a collective practice of care, requiring long-term commitment, ethical stewardship, and reframing preservation as a cultural and political responsibility.
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Name
[Catanese & Venturini] Mapping Italy’s Non-Fiction Archival Landscape- an Overview of the “SAFE” Research Project.pdf
Type
Main Article
Size
1 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
c61afcb63c9f2af51df4cc610bbf6a81
Project(s)
P2022TXJ77