Mariagiulia Grassilli

Currently a British Academy Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Film Studies at the University of East Anglia, my areas of expertise is in Cinema and Visual Anthropology, with a particular focus on global cinema, transnational cinema and visual representations of resistance. 

My current research is on the role of film archive institutions in film restoration projects on cinemas of the global South, in particular the World Cinema Project and the African Film Heritage Archives (led by FEPACI, Burkina Faso, Cineteca di Bologna, Italy, World Cinema Project / Film Foundation NY). This research reflects the ongoing discourse on restitution in the arts, the cultural archive and museums, but focused specifically on film archives, within the film industry.

My attention here is on African cinema, but I will be able to gather general knowledge on the dynamics between film archives of the global North and of the South which will be precious for further research in the field but on different regions - in connection with the World Cinema project led by Martin Scorsese and Cineteca di Bologna, and beyond. Following this, I envision some other research on film archives of the global south. 

Some of my ongoing research focuses also on cinema, refugees and migrants, further exploring the concept of Fifth Cinema, empowering collaborative filmmaking with refugees, and ethnographies of migrant cinema - on this topic, in collaboration with Raminder Kaur, Sussex University, we published ‘Towards a Fifth Cinema’, that is foregrounding a new genre of cinema to recognise direct visual representations and fragmented narratives with/by refugees and displaced people.

PhD in Film Studies by Published Research, Sussex University, UK, School of Media, Arts and Humanities. Dissertation: Cinema as Resistance: Collaborative Co-Creative Practices, Engaging Film Screenings. Awarded April 2024 

PhD in Migration Studies, Sussex University, UK, School of Global Studies / Sussex Centre for Migration Research – awarded July 2002 

MA in International Relations and Development Studies, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK, School of International Development – 

Certificate in Communication Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA

Publications

• Grassilli M. Kaur R. (forthcoming, 2026) Introducing Visual Anthropology: Visual, Sensory and Digital Creativity in the Field, NY, London: Routledge
• Grassilli M. (forthcoming, Autumn 2025), ‘Envisioning Planetary Futures - a Visual Essay’, Darkmatter Journal,  Issue 19 - http://www.darkmatter-hub.pubpub.org/
• Grassilli M. Robinson L (2024) China-Africa Cinema Industry Connections: A Focus on South Africa in Dovey L., Taylor Jones K. E. (eds.) Global Screen Worlds, Bloomsbury Press
• Grassilli M. Kaur R. (2022) (eds.) Global Black Lives Matter - a Special Issue in Darkmatter - http://www.darkmatter101.org/ 
• Grassilli M. Colta A-M.. (2021) The Human Rights Film Network: Festival resilience in the time of Covid-19. In: NECSUS_European Journal of Media Studies. #Solidarity, Jg. 10 (2021-06-08), Nr. 1, S. 275–282 
• Kaur R. Grassilli M. (2019) ‘Towards a Fifth Cinema’, Third Text, 33(1), 1-25 
• Cati A. Grassilli M. (2019) ‘The Migrant as an Eye/I: Transculturality, Self-representation, Audiovisual Practices’, a Special Issue in Cinergie - Il Cinema e le Altre Arti, 8 (16) 
• Grassilli M. (2012) ‘Human Rights Film Festivals: Global/Local Networks for Social Justice and Advocacy’ in Iordanova D. and Torchin L. (eds.) (2012) Film Festivals and Activism, Film Festival Yearbook 4, St Andrews Film Studies, University of St Andrews 
• Grassilli M. (2008) ‘Migrant Cinema: Transnational and Guerrilla Practices of Film Production and Representation’ in Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 34(8), 1237-1255 
• Grassilli M. (2007) ‘Anthropology and Cinema: Visual Representations of Human Rights, Displacement and Resistance in Come Back Africa, by Lionel Rogosin’ in Visual Anthropology: vol. 20 (2 & 3) Special issue: The Frontiers of Visual Anthropology 

Previous academic employment 

2021-2023 / 2025 - Lecturer in Visual and Cultural Anthropology - School of Global Studies, Department of Anthropology, University of Sussex - Lecturing UG modules Visual Anthropology, Ethnographic Films, Anthropology Research Methods, other teaching contribution to BA Anthropology, School of Global Studies, and BA Liberal Arts, School of Media Arts and Humanities, PG modules Visual, Sensory and Digital Anthropology, Multisited Mobile Ethnographies. Awarded Spirit of Sussex Award for Teaching in 2021, for the special support and empathy offered to students during Covid-19 time.  Supervision of PGT students in Anthropology, International Development. Marking and Evaluations at all levels. 

• 2024 - Editorial Assistant, Darkmatter Journal, collaborating with Prof. Ashwani Sharma (University of the Arts London) for editing and renewal of the online multimedia journal  https://darkmatter-hub.pubpub.org/journal
• 2024 - Research Assistant, School of Media, Arts and Humanities, University of Sussex - Creative Practices: Impacts of Social Change - Workshops, Survey, Research Report Teaching Multi-sited, Mobile Ethnographies, School Global Studies, University of Sussex 
• 2017-2023 - Adjunct Lecturer in Visual Anthropology - Department of Anthropology, School of Histories, Cultures and Civilizations, University of Bologna, Italy - renewed for 2021/22 - casual contract, fixed term position ended January 2023
• 2000-2014 => Adjunct Lecturer at various Universities in Italy: University of Bologna; Free University of Bozen; EIUC, Venice; Denver University Bologna Center, University of California, Bologna Study Center

Academic Fellowships and Affiliation

• 2025-ongoing - Research Associate, School of Global Studies University of Sussex 
• 2021 - Higher Education Teaching Fellow Associate, UK - following completion of Fundamentals of Teaching modules, University of Sussex
• 2006 - Marsico Visiting Scholar, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Italian Studies, Denver University, Colorado, USA 
• 2003-2005 - Fellowship in Visual Anthropology, University of Bologna, Italy 

Creative professional experience

2019-2020 - Fondazione MAST

Alongside Anthropocene exhibition, film curator for a special program from May 2019 to January 2020 on climate change, environment, indigenous knowledge, earth and water protectors, green ecology, anthropocene, survival and sustainability of wildlife and humanity. 

2004-2006, La Biennale di Venezia Cinema - Venice Film Festival  

Liaising and networking for Global Cinema, in particular with African and Arab countries - cinema institutions, film directors, producers, distributors to expand Venice Film Festival  film programming beyond Eurocentric biases. Curator of special programme for South Africa 10th anniversary 2004.

2001-2013 Cineteca di Bologna, Italy

Film curator for special cinema retrospective, homage, festivals at Cinema Lumiere. Among these, the homage to Quay Brothers (2002), Guillermo Gomez Pena (2007), Blu (2012), William Kentridge (2013). Liaise with Arab world for CinemaMed, various other retrospectives, conference and global project on Arab Film Archives (2001-2005). Research, project management and networking for early film restoration of World Cinema Project by Martin Scorsese Film Foundation (2005-2008). Mutti Award - awards for transnational cinema in Italy - for migrants, refugees, diaspora filmmakers, Italian new generations cinema. (2008-2016). AMITIE - transnational European communication campaign on migration and development towards recognition and cultural empowerment of migrants and refugees living in Italy, Spain, Latvia, Romania - a EU funded programme, Senior Campaign Manager, Curator, Film producer.  (2011-2013)

2001-2020 - Human Rights Nights / Human Rights Film Network

Founding member of Human Rights Film Network, created and directed Human Rights Nights film festival in Italy for 20 years - the first International film festival in Italy dedicated to human rights and social change. Mentor, Consultant for AfricanBamba Human Rights Film Festival (Dakar, Senegal 2012-2016), Pravdo Ljusko (Sarajevo, BH, 2006), Soweto Arts Festival (Johannesburg, SA 2007), Addis International Film Festival (2007), Pukanawi Cineteca dos Derechos Humanos (Sucre, Bolivia, 2008).

Projects managed In the UK as freelancer, collaborations  

2005 - William Kentridge, Africa at the Pictures, The Barbican - consultancy; 2011 EQUALS | Annie Lennox - 100 years woman’s day, Annie Lennox project - leading for Oxfam GB, curating photographic exhibition and screening at ICA, film screening and music concert at Upstairs at Ritzy; 2011 - Good Pitch, Doc Society (former Britdoc Foundation) - European Outreach Officer; 2019, 2021, 2023 - RAI Film Festival, Royal Anthropological Institute, Selection Committee member, curator of conference panel, producer visual essays; 2018 - Atelier Julieta Manassas catwalk show at African Fashion Show in London - producer; 2018 - Silent Sisters, Brothers Unhinged, Sohaya Visions, Mukul Ghetto Theatre - producer; 2017-2019 Brighton Refugee Week, Sanctuary at Sea - coordinator, organising committee