11/02/2003

The 53rd Berlinale is a turning point for the Flemish audiovisual industry. Flanders Image, the agency that promote Flemish films at home and abroad, merged with the new Flemish Audiovisual Fund (VAF) that was set up in the autumn of 2002. Christian De Schutter was appointed the new president of Flanders Image and is scheduled to take up his new position on 1 March.
Documentary maker Luckas Vander Taelen, a member of the European Parliament, was appointed as the DG of VAF, with Jan Vandierendonck in charge of international relations. As well as promoting Flemish cinema, VAF will create five workshops to focus on developing new talent in the Flanders with a Euros900,000 budget. On VAF’s agenda: drama, documentaries, animation, experimental media and writing for the screen. By focusing on the various stages of the creative process (development, production and promotion), VAF intends developing an audiovisual policy that will really help the national film and audiovisual industries.