The Notre Dame University-Louaize International Film Festival (NDUIFF) is now officially a member of the Belt and Road (B&R) Film Festival Alliance, which was established in June 2018 at the Shanghai International Film Festival organized in east Shanghai, China.
NDUIFF Artistic and Program Director and Director of the Division of Audio Visual Arts (DAVA) at NDU Dr. Nicolas Khabbaz signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which includes 31 international film festivals from 29 countries of the traditional Silk Road and the Belt countries.
Member institutions of the Alliance will take films as a carrier to seek an innovative approach toward mutual learning and common development in exchanges. It will constantly explore means of diversified cooperation to enhance exchanges among filmmakers from the signatory nations.
In accordance with the agreement, a proactive information sharing mechanism will be set up where, among other stipulations, signatories can submit films for panorama, recommend filmmakers as judges and guests for master classes and forums, and promote film co-production projects.
The MoU states:
“Film, as an essential medium of cultural exchange among people of all countries, has long been a major channel of different civilizations to reach a mutual understanding. The inheritance, development and promotion of film culture require efforts from each relevant cultural organization and film institution around the world. Beyond all that, these organizations and institutions should strengthen exchanges and cooperation to reach a better development prospect and more practically, enrich the choices of film watching for the international audience. Thus, under the context of the Belt and Road Initiative, we gathered at Shanghai International Film Festival, agreed to establish a film cultural exchange and cooperation, which includes the following:
1. Intensify the cultural spread and exchanges on the platform of film festivals.
2. Enhance the communication and understanding of each country’s customs and cultural traditions on the platform of film festivals.
3. Strengthen exchanges and mutual learning among the cinéaste from our countries on the platform of film festivals.
4. Advance the holding of film panorama in respective institutions and organizations from our countries.
5. Strengthen communications and foster a collaborative relationship in film production, distribution and exhibition from our countries on the platform of film festivals.
6. Enhance the cross-country communication of film education and film criticism on the platform of film festivals.”