This first edition of the Tour d’Europe du doc brings together 13 filmmakers’ organizations. Right from the beginning, the event was conceived as a project open to all documentary filmmakers willing to join forces in defending the documentary genre - not limited to Europe’s political borders. The partner associations’ were partners in participating in the elaboration of the round tables and the choice of the films. Their profiles vary: some represent filmmakers in documentary and fiction, others documentary filmmakers and producers and some offer an even more enlarged membership. Organizations representing only documentary filmmakers such as Addoc remain an exception.
DOK.AT
Created in 2000, DOK.AT is an association mainly for documentary makers who have turned producer in order that their films may exist. Most members do actually work in cinema. The association’s work focuses mainly on lobbying in favour of author-driven documentaries, by campaigning for improved subsidies and broadcast time in cinemas and on television. DOK.AT also fulfils a role in informing people about the documentary industry in Austria.
ARPF-DOC
(Association des Réalisateurs-Producteurs de films documentaires)
Created in 2002, l’ARPF-Doc was an offshoot of the Association des Réalisateurs-Producteurs,
a professional union created in 1976 by fifty Belgian directors who were convinced
of the need to control the production process so as to be able to safeguard
their integrity as creators. Its aim is to improve the representation and
defence of the documentary sector to help safeguard free creative expression
so as to offer the public a variety of visions on the world.
IDF (Institute of Documentary Film)
Established in 2001 by directors and producers of documentary film, the IDF is a non-profit training, promotion and networking centre based in Prague, Czech Republic. It focuses on supporting and promoting East European creative documentary films.
DOKUMENTTIKILTA - FINNISH DOCUMENTARY GUILD
The Finnish Documentary Guild is a national forum for all professionals,students, producers and critics working in the field of documentary films. It organises screenings, festival trips, discussions as well as training, both on a national and international level. Established in 1996, the organisation has now approximately 200 active members.
AG DOK (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Dokumentarfilm )
Created in 1980, AG DOK is an association with more than 800 documentary professionals most of them filmmakers but also authors, directors and producers. Its aim is to preserve the documentary culture in Germany. AG DOK is lobbying for the documentary film production on many levels. The association encourages the diffusion of information and exchanges among members. AG DOK is member on the board of the collecting agency VG Bild-Kunst and VG-Wort and on the national grants fund (FFA).
DFG (Documentary Filmmakers Group)
The DFG was founded in 2001 by a group of documentary makers wishing
to create a space for exchange and reflection about documentary cinema. Today
it has more than 4000 members. Its activities focus on three areas: training,
production and the organisation of screenings, festivals and forums. Their
activities have a dual goal: to support the development of the documentary-maker
community and to help documentary cinema to find its audience.
DOCUME
DOCUME is an independent distribution network, created by non-professional documentary enthusiasts interested in improving the profile of documentary cinema in Italy. The association organises screenings for small cinemas, associations and schools. It has a low-cost policy, using the Internet for communication and discussion about viewings. Half the proceeds from events are returned to the producer.
ASSOCIATION DOC.IT (Association des documentaristes italiens)
Created in 1998, the Doc.it association brings together Italian documentary makers who strive to increase the visibility of documentaries in the cinematographic and audiovisual landscape. It has a role diffusing information, and providing training and help for market development; it also operates as a lobby group. The association has enabled the creation of an official representative group for the documentary sector.
DUTCH DIRECTORS GUILD
Founded in 1997, the Guild includes 210 members split between documentary makers and fiction films directors. Its main goal is to defend the interests of directors and it intervenes in all debates questioning the place of the author. The association also organises seminars and offers its members legal advice.
APORDOC
Apordoc was created in 1998 from a think tank on documentary culture bringing
together directors, academics, producers and technicians. The aim of the association
is to develop the production and diffusion of documentaries in Portugal. In
particular, it organises doclisboa (the Lisbon International Documentary Film
festival), the Doc’s Kingdom International Seminar, Panorama –
Portuguese Documentary Showcase and pitching sessions in partnership with
EDN. Twice a year, it also publishes docs.pt, a bilingual (Portuguese and
English) documentary film magazine.
L’ARF-FDS (Association suisse des scénaristes et réalisateurs de
films)
Founded in 1962, the ARF/FDS brings together 220 fictional and documentary filmmakers (authors, scriptwriters, producers, author-producers, and director-producers). Its goal is to promote the development of authentic Swiss cinema and defend the artistic and professional interests of Swiss independent cinema, while encouraging exchange and collaboration among members.
BSB (Association of Documentary Filmmakers in Turkey)
Established in 1997, the Association of Documentary Filmmakers in Turkey (BSB) is a platform uniting members of the profession. It is a non-governmental initiative advocating documentary film as an indispensible element of the plurality of civil society. The association brings together a hundred or so documentary makers and organises several documentary festivals.
OBSERVERS COUNTRIES
DOCUS MADRID (Asociacion para la promocion del documental)
The Docus association in Madrid brings together producers and audiovisual businesses dedicated to creating documentaries. Its objective is to promote the support, production and diffusion of documentary cinema.
For the time being, Slovakia has few documentary makers and they manage to defend their interests without associations. This does not mean that they are not highly interested in European documentaries and policy issues, and they regularly take part in European-level documentary events.