On August 7, 2020, I accompanied the 9-hour visit of the delivery of the keys of the Cinemateca Brasileira to the federal government. On that occasion, the government promised that in 15 days everything would be resolved and the Cinemateca would resume activities, with its technical staff hired. A year passed and the situation was not only unresolved, but tragically worsened, with the fire on July 29 at the Vila Leopoldina unit. Tragic, but not unexpected, given the numerous warnings of fire risk and other damage to the Cinemateca Brasileira collections that former workers and various entities, such as the Brazilian Association for Audiovisual Preservation (ABPA) made throughout this period.

 

Débora Butruce, audiovisual preservationist, cultural producer, curator and president of ABPA, will give her testimony about the situation at the Cinemateca Brasileira and the current dismantling of the Brazilian cultural heritage.