Director István Szabó, president of FERA, urges the Icelandic government to reconsider its plans to drastically slash film funding.
Director István Szabó, president of FERA (Federation of European Film Directors), has written a letter to the Icelandic government, urging it to reconsider plans to drastically slash its film funding. “Icelandic filmmakers”, Szabó writes, “stand apart with their fresh and innovative films”. He adds that “We sincerely urge the Icelandic government to reconsider such a plan, and to – even in the face of financial hardship which causes difficulty in all European countries today – choose to invest in your creative talent now – and for the future.”
Szabó’s letter follows:
Brussels, 17 November 2009
TO THE ICELANDIC GOVERNMENT
We have with great pleasure and surprise followed the blooming of the Icelandic film industry in recent years. Icelandic filmmakers have delighted audiences and earned festival acclaim across Europe, and beyond, and stand apart with their fresh and innovative films.
It has now been brought to our attention that the Icelandic government plans to cut the Icelandic Film Fund by 44%. The Federation of European Film Directors wishes to make clear its extreme concern at these massive proposed cuts – the like which would suffocate the film industry in any European country.
We sincerely urge the Icelandic government to reconsider such a plan, and to – even in the face of financial hardship which causes difficulty in all European countries today – choose to invest in your creative talent now – and for the future. The European culture is the totality of local cultures. If the local cultures aren’t allowed to exist than the European culture would cease.
Sincerely yours,
István Szabó
President
FERA
