FERA Joins Forces with International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk (ICFR)

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We are happy to announce that as of 2021, FERA has officially become a strategic partner in the International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk (ICFR).

This partnership is an important step in our work to advocate for filmmakers’ freedom of artistic expression, be it through support to our colleagues at risk, upholding directors’ moral rights or ensuring that artists and the cultural sector at large remain independent and free of any governmental censorship, political interference, or pressures.

The official partnership comes after several joint activities with the founding organizations of ICFR promoting the artistic freedom of filmmakers, with the latest example being the Urgent Call for the Release of Haajoi Kuka .

Aside from defending artistic freedom on individual cases of artists and creators, FERA has systematically intervened, standing together with our members and other partners in the audiovisual sector, to ensure that artistic freedom is respected and free from political or economic interference. Some recent examples in this regard are the FERA Statement in solidarity with our Faeroese filmmakers’ colleagues facing censorship, FERA support for the Slovenian film community facing governmental pressure as public film funding is blocked and the FERA support for the Croatian audiovisual authors resisting censorship.

The International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk (ICFR) was launched in September 2020 at the Venice Film Festival by founders European Film Academy (EFA), International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) and the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR). Its mission is to advocate and stand in solidarity with filmmakers at risk and to activate the film community’s collective response to filmmakers who face political persecution for their work.

ICFR is seeking to expand its grass roots base, opening the door for film industry organisations to affiliate themselves and demonstrate support by becoming strategic partners.

More information about ICFR and its advocacy and support activities can be found here – https://www.idfa.nl/en/article/135007/international-coalition-for-filmmakers-at-risk-launched-officially-in-venice .