JOURNAL ARTICLE

The Bibliographic Diaspora of African Cinema: Paulin S. Vieyra, "Shared" Film Heritage, and the Politics of Archival Cooperation.

  • Published In: PUBLIC, 2025, v. 36, n. 71. P. 153 1 of 3

  • Database: Art Source Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Perneczky, Nikolaus 3 of 3

Abstract

The article focuses on the complex issues surrounding the archival displacement and restitution of African film heritage, using the dispersed archive of Benin-born filmmaker Paulin Soumanou Vieyra as a case study. It highlights how significant portions of Africa's colonial and postcolonial film materials are held in public and commercial archives in the Global North, limiting access for African filmmakers and researchers. The recent donation of Vieyra's personal estate to the Black Film Center & Archive (BFCA) at Indiana University Bloomington exemplifies the "shared heritage" paradigm, which emphasizes digitization and remote access but raises ethical and practical questions about curatorial authority, sustainability, and equitable collaboration with African institutions. The article also contrasts this model with in situ archival capacity-building efforts in Senegal and discusses ongoing debates about archival self-determination, provenance, and the politics of North-South cooperation in the context of African cinema preservation and scholarship.

Additional Information

  • Source:PUBLIC. 2025/04, Vol. 36, Issue 71, p153
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
  • Publication Date:2025
  • ISSN:0845-4450
  • DOI:10.1386/public_00252_1
  • Accession Number:188453618
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