Preserving FAVA
A number of years ago, FAVA’s Board of Directors felt it was imperative that we create the ability and the will to preserve and safeguard our member heritage video collection. FAVA has member work from the first days of its existence, and it was in peril; tape gets old, and it loses its mind. With the advent of FAVATV and AMS (Arts Management System), we had both a place to store and exhibit, so FAVA set out to develop sound archival methodology and practices. We began the long process of digitizing, cataloging and creating an inventory of our priceless collection.
So far, we have preserved over 1400 works, but there are still many to do.
As a result of our efforts, we have connected with former members and other organizations who heard what FAVA was doing and reached out. They faced the same predicament; their video heritage was rotting. FAVA has created exciting partnerships and funding opportunities with the Edmonton Heritage Council, The Alberta Historical Resource Foundation {sadly gone now} and TELUS.
In 2019, with our friends at AMASS, FAVA began the process of preserving Prairie Tales, the long-running program of Alberta works. In 2020 in partnership with TELUS, we selected 100 Prairie Tales works to play on TELUS’s channel and FAVATV.
Presently, FAVA hopes to engage with all past and current members and encourage them to be a part of this ongoing archival process. In the end, all works will be cataloged in AMS. Members can preserve their work and ultimately screen it on FAVATV, exposing it to a new and growing audience.
FAVA has been accessible to all to tell their stories and create their art. Our goal is to make sure their stories and art are safeguarded and seen.
Projects
Voices
To celebrate FAVA’s 40th anniversary, and with funding from our friends at The Edmonton Heritage Council and TELUS, we set out to assemble member works from our Historical Collection. FAVA is committed to the preservation of this collection, and to creating new exhibition opportunities to showcase member work from our history to new audiences.
VOICES is a one of those new opportunities. This program highlights women, BIPOC and underserved filmmakers’ work from our community.
VOLUME 1
- The Island – Trevor Anderson
- Riding the Rails – Lorna Thomas Productions
- The Gods Must be Patient – Shreela Chakrabartty
- Rio Hobo – Clare Mullen
- Nightshot – Wagon Rider Films
- Herders’ Calling: A Tradition Dying in the Kyrgyz Republic – Najeeb Mirza
- Shepards Pie and Sushi – Mad Shadow Films
- Glimpse of Desire – L.A. Trofimova
- Roses… Thorns… and Dreams – Cynthia Wells Productions
VOLUME 2
- Sophia – Zsofia Opra-Szabo
- AYINANEW, (eye niye nayo) – Dave Cunningham
- We Remember Amber Valley – Selwyn Enterprises Inc
- By This Parting – Mad Shadow Films
- Sophia Redux – Zsofia Opra-Szabo
- Ain’t I a Woman – Chalaundrai Grant
- Trash Heaven – Lindsay McIntyre
- Luz – No Problem Productions
- The High Level Bridge – Trevor Anderson
- Super Fug – Uma Viswanathan
VOLUME 3
- Alien tree Thinkers – Uma Viswanathan
- The Road Taken – Selwyn Enterprises Inc
- Kanada Girl – Rebecca Campbell
- Falak – Najeeb Mirza
- STAND BY – Lindsay McIntyre
- Handmade Film | Lindsay McIntyre – Christina Ienna
- When The Fish Get Costumers – Dave Morgan
IN CONVERSATION
As part of the Voices Project, FAVA has met with filmmakers to discuss their journey.
Najeeb Mirza, a FAVA Alum from the early 2000s who continues to create beautiful and meaningful work in Ottawa, is featured in Voices Program 1 with his lovely film Herders Calling. Najeeb is a filmmaker, community supporter and first-class gentleman. We were thrilled to have Najeeb join us “In Conversation”, which you can watch right now on FAVATV; enjoy it and all the rest of the fabulous works included in the Voices Program.
Contact us
If you would like to learn more, or if you have some work to be archived, please email Dave: [email protected].
