21/03/2006

The European Documentary Network (EDN) has bestowed its 2006 EDN Award to the Jan Vrijman Fund (JVF) for its outstanding contribution to international documentaries.

Inspired by the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), the JVF was founded in 1998 in honour of festival co-founder Jan Vrijman, a director, producer and journalist who during WWII adopted the surname “Vrijman”, which means “free man” in his native tongue.

Involved in all aspects of filmmaking (production, distribution, promotion and sales), the JVF supports projects and artists from developing countries who, without financial support, would go unnoticed, or not even exist. Last year, 39 projects from 18 different countries were funded by the JVF foundation. And the fund can pride itself on having backed such fine documentaries as the recent Wall by Simone Bitton (Israel/France) and The Immortal by Mercedes Moncada Rodríguez (Nicaragua/Mexico/Spain).

This is the second time the EDN has presented this award. The 2005 award went to Finnish broadcaster YLE. The EDN, a network of cinema documentary professionals with over 800 members in over 60 countries, will celebrate its 10th anniversary this year and its admirable contribution to documentaries.

(Translated from French)