Reclaiming Narratives
The 'Reclaiming Narratives' project, funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and directed by Dr. Sophia Thubauville at the Frobenius Institute, investigates how indigenous filmmakers can reclaim agency over historical ethnographic representations through found-footage film production.
A central focus is the production of found-footage films by indigenous filmmakers, utilizing ethnographic film collections from the Frobenius Institute that were created in the Sidaama and Gedeo regions of Ethiopia between 1950 and 1974. The project runs from June 2025 to May 2028.
Igor Karim serves as the Postdoctoral researcher on the project, working alongside student assistant Bersabel Mesfin, conducting research within the archives of the Frobenius Institute and facilitating collaborative film productions with source communities.
Methodology
Found Footage Filmmaking, Archival Research, Participatory Video, Film Restitution
My Contribution
Postdoctoral researcher. Lead on film studies, visual anthropology, and science film components. Conducting archival research and facilitating found-footage film production with indigenous filmmakers.