Savoirs Communs du Cinéma

The first phase of the project focused on sharing knowledge and increasing the discoverability of works, artists, and filmmaking practices. Through more than 70 participatory workshops, we collaborated with over a hundred participants to enrich the presence of Quebec cinema on the Wikimedia Foundation's platforms (including Wikipedia, Wikidata, and Wikimedia Commons).

This approach has helped to fill significant gaps in representation in digital environments, while stimulating new acts of creation, appropriation, and mediation around the archives.

Building on this initial phase, our team embarked on a second stage focused on the co-construction of a documentary and legal governance framework. Developed in collaboration with artists, institutional partners, and rights holders, it aimed to provide a framework for the reuse of archives while respecting the creative contexts and rights of authors.

Particular attention was paid to the recognition, documentation, and visibility of Quebec and Canadian female filmmakers, who are often underrepresented in mainstream heritage narratives. By promoting their online presence and showcasing their work, the project helped to correct inequalities in representation and to include these voices in a more inclusive and equitable cinematic memory.

The Savoirs Communs du Cinéma initiative came to an end in 2024, leaving behind a legacy of resources, shared knowledge, and collaborative practices that have helped to make film heritage a living common good. Through this approach, the Cinémathèque québécoise reaffirmed its role as a guardian of memory, committed to transforming archives into collective tools for transmission, creation, and recognition.