  A rate-independent model for the quasistatic evolution of a magnetoelastic
thin film is advanced and analyzed. Starting from the three-dimensional
setting, we present an evolutionary $\Gamma$-convergence argument in order to
pass to the limit in one of the material dimensions. By taking into account
both conservative and dissipative actions, a nonlinear evolution system of
rate-independent type is obtained. The existence of so-called {\it energetic
solutions} to such system is proved via approximation.
