News
The Belarusian Independent Film Academy Organizes a Pitch Event at the Berlinale European Film Market
1 Feb 2024
Belarusian film projects will be pitched on February 16 at the European Film Market of the 74th Berlin International Film Festival. There are 7 fiction, documentary and animated feature film projects at various stages of work selected for participation. The authors will be coached for the EFM presentation by Leena Pasanen and Stefano Tealdi, experts from Finland and Italy, both invited by the film academy.
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Belarusian independent filmmakers opened an Industry Programme at the DOC Leipzig
9 Oct 2023
DOK Leipzig’s Industry program was opened on October 9 with the participation of Belarusian Independent Film Academy representatives. Film Academy co-founders took part in the panel titled 'Displaced by Dictatorship and War: Belarusian Independent Filmmakers in Europe.' The discussion aimed to draw renewed attention to exiled Belarusian documentary filmmakers amid the country's escalating political climate and curbs on artistic freedom.
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Expression of Support for Agnieszka Holland
5 Oct 2023
Polish film director Agnieszka Holland has faced unprecedented attacks in recent months from Poland’s right-wing ruling party, led by the Minister of Justice. He has described her work as modern Nazi propaganda. This sickening campaign concerns the director’s latest film, GREEN BORDER, which won an award at the Venice Film Festival. In recent days, this campaign has resulted in threats of physical violence against the director. The situation has escalated to the point where she is now forced to pay for security while in Poland. 
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The Belarusian Independent Film Academy's Newly Elected Board
20 Jul 2023
On July 20, during the first general assembly of the Belarusian Independent Film Academy, the Academy's Board was elected through online voting.

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Belarusian Independent Film Academy has been successfully launched at Berlinale European Film Market
2 Mar 2023
The successful launch of the Belarusian Independent Film Academy took place on February 17 at the Berlinale European Film Market. The room at the Martin Gropius Bau, at the heart of the EFM, was packed with attendees. The team of the Academy’s founders was supported by several prestige organizations and their representatives from the fields of culture and cinema.
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Official rollout of BIFA planned at the Berlinale EFM
15 Feb 2023

On Friday, February 17, 2023, at 11:30 a.m., the founding members will introduce their plans for the Belarusian Independent Film Academy for the first time: They will outline their initiative as well as introducing first projects in the works. The presentation will take place at the Berlinale EFM, venue: Producers Hub (EFM, Martin Gropius Bau, 2nd floor).

In response to the constant threat of persecution, imprisonment and torture to independent artists living in Belarus, as well as a need to leave the country in order to continue working without state repression and in accordance with freedom of expression, a group of independent Belarusian filmmakers in exile are now uniting in an independent Belarusian Film Academy (BIFA) to give a voice to independent artists from Belarus who work in the film industry.

The event is held in close cooperation and partnership with the European Film Market and its director Dennis Ruh. It is endorsed by the European Film Academy, whose director Matthijs Wouter Knol will be present to voice the EFA's support. Also present will be Simone Baumann, Managing Director of German Films.