Projects from Cambodia among those selected for the first time

The International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam’s Jan Vrijman Fund has backed 19 projects in its latest funding round.

The fund, which provides financial support to documentary projects in developing countries twice annually, has paid out a total of €179,600 for aspects including script development, production and workshops. For the first time, projects from Cambodia were among those selected.

For the second selection round of 2011, 404 projects from 40 different countries were considered. The Jan Vrijman Fund eventually selected 19 projects from 13 countries.

Four projects were selected in the script and project development categories, with 10 projects receiving funds for production and post-production. Applications were honoured for four workshops and documentary festivals, including the first ever documentary festival in Afghanistan and a documentary festival in Sierrra Leone.

For the first time, two projects from Cambodia were also selected, including Red Wedding by Guillaume P. Suon and Lida Chan. Producer of this film is Rithy Panh, the director of films including S21, The Khmer Rouge Killing Machine (2002). Afghan director Jawed Taiman, whose previous documentary Addicted In Afghanistan also received support from the Jan Vrijman Fund, also has a new project, dealing with the recent history of Afghanistan. 

The selection committee for the May round was made up of Ally Derks, Adriek van Nieuwenhuijzen, Carmen Cobos, Don Edkins, Iikka Vehkalahti, Isabel Arrate Fernandez, Jan Röfekamp, Kees Rijninks, Martijn te Pas, Rada Sesic and Peter Wintonick.

Some 20 films that have received support from the Jan Vrijman Fund are expected to screen at the next IDFA, which will take place November 16-27 . 

The Jan Vrijman Fund is supported by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hivos, Media Mundus and Stichting Doen.