Venice 2020 - Venice Production Bridge
Country Focus: The Netherlands
The International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk comes to the rescue at Venice
- VENICE 2020: The new international body to support filmmakers facing severe risks and struggling to make their voices heard has been launched at Venice
The International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk (ICFR) was launched at the Venice Film Festival on 6 September. The organisation, formed by the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) and the European Film Academy (EFA), was first announced last year, but was finally presented on Sunday at the Hotel Excelsior's Spazio Incontri.
Earlier this summer, the ICFR co-signed an open letter calling for the immediate release of Moataz Abdelwahab, an Egyptian producer accused of partnering with terrorists and spreading fake news.
The founding members of this initiative present in Venice were EFA director Marion Döring, EFA chairman Mike Downey, IFFR director Vanja Kaludjercic, IDFA director Orwa Nyrabia and IFFR managing director Marjan van der Haar.
In detail, the body will commit to allowing filmmakers to continue their work, and to providing “better coordinated action” in supporting campaigns for freeing filmmakers at risk and pressuring authorities for their release. The creation of the ICFR comes in response to the increasing number of filmmakers being threatened, arrested, jailed or killed while pursuing their mission. The organisation's activities will include advocacy, close collaboration with a network of strategic partners, accessing support systems and monitoring ongoing cases.
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