Portraying History: Working with Archival Material

31 May, 2026, 4.00 PM @ Festival Centre: Lounge 19

Event language: English

Archives are never neutral. They reflect the societies that create them, the power structures that shape them, and the histories they often omit. This session delves into the practical and ethical dimensions of working with archival film material. Through case studies and breakout discussions, participants will explore research methods, questions of access, and the creative potential of montage, fragmentation, and recontextualization. From artist estates to historical records, the session offers valuable insights into how archival material can be researched, interpreted, and reimagined into compelling cinematic storytelling.

After an opening conversation, the session will transition into three thematic breakouts: one focused on artists’ archives and the interplay between legacy and contemporary interpretation; another on historical archives and the process of reframing dominant narratives; and a final, hands-on practice space dedicated to research, editing decisions, montage, and working with fragmentary material.

Tickets

Program Info

Working with Archival Material

In an opening panel conversation, experts from the fields of archival research, filmmaking, and artistic practice will share insights into the practical and ethical dimensions of working with archival film material.

Guests

Loraine Blumenthal

Loraine Blumenthal is a documentary filmmaker from Berlin with many years of experience in film production. Her first feature-length documentary THE MAYOR'S RACE was shown at over 30 international festivals and won several awards. As a freelance producer and archive producer, she works for public broadcasters such as Arte, ZDF, 3Sat and WDR. Her second film CHANGING SIDES (ZDF - Kleines Fernsehspiel) was selected for the first Impact Lab in Germany.

Julian Nindl

Julian Nindl studied History in Mannheim and Berlin and has been working as an archive producer for documentary and feature films since 2019. His projects include productions for arte, ZDF, ARD, Netflix, and Amazon Prime. Most recently, he worked on Mesut Özil – Zu Gast bei Freunden, a three-part documentary series for ZDF. He is also a board member of GRAP (German Researchers and Archive Producers).Since 2021, he has been working with T-Port, a non-profit online platform for short films.

Zoran Dževerdanović

Zoran Dževerdanović is the founder of Ljubljana-based Blade Production. Over 12 years, he has produced award-winning hits like Slovenia’s first horror Idyll, the thriller All Against All, and the 2024 box-office success Tartini’s Key. An Emerging Producers alumnus, his work has screened at the Berlinale, Sarajevo, and Oberhausen. Currently, he is in pre-production for his fiction debut and three documentaries, bridging genre cinema with impactful non-fiction.

Breakout Session 1: Historical Archives

Using a case study, archive producer Julian Nindl explores the use of archival material from the first half of the 20th century in documentary filmmaking. It examines how historical documentary projects are developed and structured, the role of the archive producer within the production process, and the specific challenges that arise when working with historical sources. Furthermore, it considers how such projects differ from documentary productions dealing with more recent history.

Breakout Session 2: Artistic Archives

Using the case study of Punk Under Communist Regimes, producer Zoran Dževerdanović explores the role of artists’ archives in documentary filmmaking. The session examines how personal collections, unpublished materials, and fragmented artistic legacies can be researched, contextualized, and transformed into cinematic narratives. It further reflects on the relationship between archival preservation and contemporary interpretation, as well as the challenges of working with incomplete, private, or politically charged material.

Breakout Sesson 3

In this final session Loraine Blumenthal focuses on the fundamentals of working with archival material. Through concrete examples, participants will explore different types of archival sources, their historical contexts, and the challenges they present. Designed as a hands-on workshop, the session also creates space for participants to engage directly with their own projects, develop individual research approaches, and discuss specific questions related to their work. The aim is to provide participants with the tools and confidence to navigate archives independently and make informed creative decisions when working with archival material.

4.00 PM	Working with Archival Material
5.00 PM	Breakout Session 1: Historical Archives
5.00 PM	Breakout Session 2: Artistic Archives
5.00 PM	Breakout Sesson 3