Country Focus: Belgium

Netherlands Film Sector Institute is born

by  Boyd van Hoeij

27/10/2009 - At the beginning of next year, four Dutch film organisations will be combined to form a single entity, baptised the Netherlands Film Sector Institute. The creation of the umbrella organisation is the result of Education, Culture, and Sport Minister Ronald Plasterk's desire to give the Dutch film sector a “single face and point of contact”.

As of January 1, 2010, the Netherlands Institute for Film Education, promotional body Holland Film, national cinémathèque, film archive and distributor Filmmuseum and distributor of local experimental works Filmbank will together form the Netherlands Film Sector Institute. The latter two bodies were already collaborating on several levels and are also housed in the same building.

The move was partially inspired by the existence of similar nationwide institutes in several other cultural sectors, including music, theatre and architecture.

According to an official press release, the Film Sector Institute will “determine the face of Dutch cinema both at home and abroad, and serve as both booster and ambassador of the country's film culture. To accomplish these goals, it will make use of a world-renowned film collection, restoration and research expertise, and considerable experience in education, international promotion, and marketing. Employing innovative methods, the Film Sector Institute will dedicate itself to the propagation of film knowledge through international collaboration, research, and debate”.

It is not yet known who will run the Institute, but it seems likely it will be a woman: of the four partners involved, three currently have a female managing director.