Project Duration: 2006-Ongoing
Start/End Date: Open ended

 The Academy seeks to engage professional and emerging filmmakers throughout the world in a dialogue through its International Outreach projects.  Two delegations of filmmakers from the United States and Iran exchanged visits during 2009, during which profound differences and startling similarities were explored in both the outward conditions of film production and exhibition, and the internal processes of artistic creation. These visits, made under constantly changing political conditions, allowed two cultures to interact in a way that is generally unavailable to them. Lasting impacts have been made upon the larger communities that hosted the visits, and long term collaboration and cooperation has been initiated between the host organizations in the U.S. and Iran. At the same time, political realities have impacted the ability of certain filmmakers to participate in planned programs.

Partnering Organization(s): The House of Cinema (Khaneh Cinema), Tehran

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
USA
eharrington@oscars.org
www.oscars.org
(310) 247-3000, x. 149
(310) 247-3600
Ellen Harrington, Director of International Outreach

Founded in 1927, the Academy is an honorary membership organization whose ranks now include more than 6,000 motion picture artists and professionals. Dedicated to the advancement and preservation of the art and science of motion pictures, the Academy presents an active schedule of public programs, gallery exhibitions and educational activities, as well as maintaining some of the world’s top film archive and library facilities. The organization also annual presents the Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars.

The Academy’s International Outreach Committee, founded in 1996, is made up of an active group of professional filmmakers from both the U.S. and other countries. This Committee  has undertaken projects in Asia and the Middle East, and will next be engaging with fellow filmmakers in Africa.

Project Mission: To facilitate artist-to-artist interaction and exchange of ideas among peer nations in which such opportunities might be scarce.

Project Objective(s) : To open a dialogue with filmmakers in countries where production challenges, societal constraints, or other conditions directly affect the process of filmmaking and viewing. The Academy promotes open dialogue, professional discussions, technology and training opportunities, film screening series, seminars, student interaction and other forms of creative support.

Target group(s) :Established and emerging filmmakers in all genres and professional crafts

Geographical scope(s) of project :Global; projects undertaken thus far include Asia (Vietnam) and the Middle East (Iran). Future projects are being planned in several countries in Africa, China and Cuba.
Countries involved :The specific project being discussed at this conference is in Iran

One page summary :Attached

US involvement/contribution within the project: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a U.S. based non-profit arts organization, though its international membership numbers nearly 600 and represents filmmakers from over 30  countries.

Achievements/progress to date. : Iran project: Successfully organized and executed two high level visits of professional filmmakers against a backdrop of tense government relations between the U.S. and Iran.  The Academy’s delegation was the first arts group from the U.S. allowed to tour Iran, and the first to show uncensored versions of American films to an audience there, since the Islamic Revolution 30 years prior.  Numerous difficulties have been encountered as well from governmental decision makers.
 
Contact person for the project: Ellen Harrington