In 1979, Lausanne had the privilege of hosting a congress for the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF) for the second time since 1954. The theme of the symposium was “Independent and avant-garde cinema at the end of the silent era”, in honour of the 50th anniversary of the First International Congress of Independent Cinema (CICI) in La Sarraz. From 1 to 4 May, film screenings accompanied presentations by Joris Ivens, Henri Stork, Jean Mitry, Jean-Luc Godard, Raymond Borde, Peter Kubelka, Barthélemy Amengual, and Eileen Bowser, among others. Two special issues of journal Travelling (55 and 56/57) covering the same theme and the symposium were published.