Mozambique audiovisual heritage at risk due to lack of preservation

Mozambique faces a significant threat to its historical memory as approximately 12,500 films and documentaries held in the national archive are at risk of deterioration. Officials from the National Institute of Cultural and Creative Industries (INICC) report that many materials, some dating back over 50 years, require urgent conservation, specifically improved refrigeration to prevent film decay caused by high temperatures.

The archive contains vital records from the colonial era, the formation of the Mozambican state, and the period following independence. Due to a lack of local technical capacity and funding for digitalization, some materials are being sent abroad for processing. Currently, around 300 films are being digitized in Lisbon through collaborations with Spanish Cooperation and the Portuguese Cinemateca.

In addition to the national archive, authorities are working to identify and recover Mozambican audiovisual materials located in foreign museums and archives. Experts emphasize that establishing local technical capacity is essential to ensure the long-term preservation of the nation's sociocultural identity.