Obituary: Guido Convents

Guido Convents, first on the left, with the SIGNIS Jury at the Venice International Film Festival 2018.

Guido Convents (1956-2025), husband of Magda Jans, a distinguished film historian, anthropologist, and tireless advocate for the preservation of cinematic memory, was born on May 10, 1956, in Lummen, Belgium, and died at the Leuven Campus Gasthuisberg on September 10, 2025. He devoted his life to uncovering the hidden histories of film—especially those born far from the dominant centers of production—and to ensuring that fragile reels, neglected archives, and overlooked voices would not be lost to time.

Across decades of research, writing, and curatorial work, Convents mapped the social and cultural worlds that cinema both reflected and shaped. He was especially committed to documenting early and independent film traditions, amplifying the contributions of filmmakers, exhibitors, and communities whose contributions had too often been overlooked. His scholarship combined rigor with humility: he listened first, then wrote with clarity and precision, always attentive to the lived realities behind the images.

During his long involvement with SIGNIS (the World Catholic Association for Communication), Guido helped weave a global network of critics. He carried on the voice of cinema through SIGNIS Media and CINEMAG magazines, advocating for independent, values-driven storytelling—mainly from Africa and the Global South. Colleagues in SIGNIS remember his leadership, sense of humor, and his conviction that cinema and community media can foster dialogue, dignity, and hope.

Beyond the page, he was a generous mentor and collaborator. Colleagues remember his meticulous notes, his patient guidance in reading rooms and projection booths, and his quiet joy whenever a long-forgotten print flickered back to life. Festivals, cinémathèques, universities, and community groups benefited from his counsel and his ability to bridge the gap between scholars, programmers, and audiences, as mentioned by the president of SIGNIS Cinema Desk, Adriana Răcășan, for whom Guido “was a man deeply passionate about cinema and SIGNIS, and a true supporter of younger generations of professionals.”

In the same way, Carlos Ferraro, president of SIGNIS Latin America and the Caribbean, wrote, “I had the opportunity to meet him in 2003 in Argentina at the Mar del Plata International Film Festival. At that time, I was a member of the jury, along with Guido and the now-renowned director of Eternauta, Bruno Stagnaro. I spoke with him in Brussels in 2005 and again in 2018 about establishing a global network among film schools and faculties. A tireless researcher and philosophical film critic, he was an important intellectual asset to SIGNIS.”

For Frank Frost, former SIGNIS vice president, “his (Guido’s) enthusiasm for film and its humanitarian depth was boundless, as was his generosity – and his memory. Apparently his history of OCIC/SIGNIS will be unfinished, but he has been a priceless historian of OCIC and SIGNIS. I’ve lost a wonderful friend, and SIGNIS and all of us have lost a vast resource in our pursuit of our mission.”

Pamela Aleman, president of SIGNIS North America, shared with us that “SIGNIS family has lost a remarkable man whose passion for cinema and deep knowledge of our organization’s history touched and inspired so many. His absence will be deeply felt. On behalf of SIGNIS North America, we send our heartfelt condolences to his family and hold them in our prayers during this difficult time. His legacy will continue to live on through the work and mission of SIGNIS.”

As Director of the Leuven’s Afrika Film Festival, Guido believed that film history is not a museum of artifacts but a living conversation—one that belongs to everyone. His legacy endures in the books and essays he leaves behind, in the archives he helped save, and in the many students and friends he encouraged to look again, to ask better questions, and to care for images as a form of collective memory.

For the SIGNIS Europe president, Douglas Fahleson, “Guido’s knowledge of cinema and the history of SIGNIS and his number of connections were unparalleled. Plus his work with his African Film Festival was exhausting but he did it year after year. Truly a great loss. He was a great character and continued working on many projects, even recently, and certainly exuded joie de vivre in his life.”

Guido will also be remembered for his curiosity and his unwavering devotion to the people and places that make cinema matter. May he rest in peace, and may his work continue to illuminate screens and hearts for years to come.

His funeral service will take place in the presence of close family and friends, and the burial will follow at the Diestseveld Park Cemetery in Leuven.

More voices from the SIGNIS community come together to acknowledge Guido Convents’ significant contribution to cinema and communication:

Lawrence John Sinniah, former SIGNIS vice president: “Most of us in Asia knew Guido via the Unda-OCIC newsletter in the early days. His passion was Cinema, with a heart for Africa. He made a huge contribution to the research and publication of SIGNIS resources. When I met him in Brussels, I was looking for historical information on Unda. He was delighted, and shared with pride his detailed documentation. He even said that he had started digitizing them! I was so impressed to have a person in our organization who had the time and, more importantly, the interest to preserve the rich history of Unda – OCIC and SIGNIS”.

Larry Rich, former SIGNIS Media Editor: “recall him guiding me throughout the San Sebastián film festival. He seemed to know everyone and happily introduced me to them. He also knew all the best tapas places and we went from one to another. Of course, he also was a devout cinephile—I think of his work on African cinema. May he be welcomed into God’s reign with the overture of his favorite film playing in the background.”

Ricardo Yáñez, former Secretary General of SIGNIS: “Guido’s legacy has different angles. The institutional history one, the cinema (from the global south and Africa) one, … and Guido always reminded us that SIGNIS’ mission has to be associated with “Jesus in the marketplace” and deeply engaged in dialogue with international organisations (UNESCO, Council of Europe, etc). You live in us now.”

Condolences: www.pues.be