Acousmatic Echoes of the Ruchový Archiv, 1968-1989

Acousmatic Echoes of the Ruchový Archiv 1968–89 is a fixed-media composition derived from digitised dubbing tapes from the Národní filmový archiv (National Film Archive) in Prague. Created by sound designer Sara Pinheiro and curator Jonáš Kucharský, the project explores the archive’s history and its significance in shaping Czech cinema’s sonic identity. Presented as four 30-minute versions, the composition highlights different dramaturgical aspects: raw materiality, fictional soundscapes, spectral textures and filmic context. The work forms part of the Czech National Film Archive’s research initiative to use preserved magnetic tapes from various sources to reconstruct the lost contents of the Barrandov Studios Foley Archive, which disappeared after 1989. By repurposing foley as acousmatic sound, the project re-examines the boundaries between sound design and composition, offering insights into the ephemeral yet enduring nature of sound in film heritage. Through acousmatic listening, it reveals recurring sonic motifs and technological traces, posing the question: What did Czech cinema sound like?