This paper is situated at the intersection of archivology, film studies and memory studies. Drawing on theorizations of the archive by Foucault and Derrida and leaving behind notions of the archive as a neutral storage, this paper regards the archive as an agent in its own right. As opposed to current tendencies in film studies to focus on issues of preservation and digitization of film stock, my paper highlights the role of the archivist as a curator. In foregrounding the modes of selection and exhibition, it analyses the use of metadata in the process of creating online content.

„Metadating the image“ (Manovich) is an act of power which regulates access to the archive. On the one hand, it might run the risk of reducing the multiple meaning of images and sounds to a few concepts, attributed by the archivist(s). Moreover, the choice of terminology can contribute to 'othering' individuals whose histories are often sidelined and marginalised. Therefore, archival practice needs to reflected upon, e.g. by taking a self-reflexive stand. On the other hand, metadata could entail a utopian potential: they could be a means of intervention into hegemonic power structures and could actively contribute to creating a polyvocal memory. This paper presents my current research project on archival practice in digital film archives (“The Cultural Heritage of Moving Images”, VR, 2016-2018). Examining the use of metadata within video-sharing websites of the British Film Institute (BFI) and the Swedish Film Institute (SFI), my talk offers critical perspectives on the construction of audiovisual heritage and cultural memory.