Slovak Film Institute


Slovak Film Institute
was founded 1. April 1963 in Bratislava. It became part of the film archive of the then Central Film Lending Library, founded in 1958 by Ivan Rumanovský. After the Czechoslovak Film Institute in Prague was re-established in 1963, the SFÚ was established as a branch of the Institute, and shortly afterwards, during the Congress of the International Federation of Film Archives FIAF, the status of a joint archive of the CSFÚ Prague and the SFÚ Bratislava was approved. The SFU became an independent institution in 1991, and an independent member of FIAF in 2001. The first of the previous directors of the institution was Ján Komiňár, who held this position for the longest time. More than 20 successors have succeeded him in later periods; the current Director General is Peter Dubecký. From its first seat in the premises of the Film Club on Rybno Square, the SFÚ moved to Grösslingova Street in 1968, where it has been located ever since. Since 1968 it has been archiving, in addition to domestic productions, selected foreign film works and since 1969 it has initiated a wide range of activities in the field of research into the history of Slovak cinema.

In the field of cinematography, the Slovak Film Institute is the only state institution in Slovakia that deals comprehensively with film and cinematography as such. It collects, preserves and protects film and other audiovisual works and documentary materials and makes them available to the public. It is the administrator of the film archive, which is a specialised public archive under the law. It consists of all, often unique film works shot in Slovakia. These collections are an important component of cultural heritage and are state-protected national assets. The SFU also exercises producer rights to Slovak films produced by organisations under the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and values these rights through its commercial activities.

Since 2001 the SFÚ has been a member of the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF), since 2006 it has been a member of the international organisation European Film Promotion (EFP), focusing mainly on the presentation of the audiovisual culture and industry of the Slovak Republic. The SFÚ is also a member of the Slovak Association of Libraries (SAK), the Slovak Association of Producers in Audiovisual (SAPA) and, through the MEDIA Desk, the European Documentary Network (EDN).