Cinenova

Circles, established in 1979, specialized in experimental film and video and pioneered women-only screenings and collaborative curatorial models. Cinema of Women, also set up in 1979, focused on documentary and activist productions concerned with women’s rights and queer-feminist themes. The merger of the two organizations allowed Cinenova to consolidate experience, resources, and collections at a time of shifting cultural policies and funding landscapes.

The Cinenova archive holds more than 500 titles, ranging from avant-garde and narrative feature films to documentaries, artists’ videos, and historical works produced from the 1910s to the present. Thematically, the collection spans oppositional histories, postcolonial and decolonial discourse, domestic and care work, and the representation of gender, sexuality, and social difference. Its holdings also encompass rare posters, catalogs, and ephemera related to feminist and queer filmmaking practices. The organisation proactively engages in the preservation and restoration of archival materials, including digitizing legacy works and facilitating research access for academics, artists, and curators. Cinenova also has an archive fund relating to film and video directed by women, with a focus on the UK independent film.