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GENERAL ASSEMBLY, Zeist, Netherlands
30th August 2019 14:00

Page 2

Committee Members Attending

Dave Watterson (President)
Andrzej Przeździeck(Vice-President)
Bernhard Lindner (Vice-President)
Jacqueline Pante (Secretary General)
Thomas Kräuchi (Treasurer)

Advisers:

Tatyana Alahverdzhieva
Wolfgang Allin
Mitze Chapovski
Zuzana Školudová
Franka Stas
Eugy Van Gool
Mike Whyman

Also Present

Kees Tervoort (President of the Congress)
Serge Michel (IFTC Liaison)
Stefan Eich (Translations)
Romy Van Krieken (Translations)
Sarah Materna (Translations)

Members Present

Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Czech Republic
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Italy
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
Netherlands
North Macedonia
Norway
Poland
Romania
Russia
Slovakia
South Korea
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
Ukraine

14 - Report of the Film librarian

Thomas Kräuchi said, that a short report had been sent with the GA papers. This year we had digitalised 150 films from UNICA Zeist, which increases the UNICA archive to a total of 2407 movies. The archive now contains:

  • 273 16 mm movies
  • 3 in 9,5 mm
  • 21 8mm
  • 107 S8 movies
  • 647 cassettes, such as VHS, S-VHS, DV, Betacam or U-MATIC
  • 157 DVD and
  • 1272 videos on hard disk.

As from 20th August 2019 we have introduced a new system to replace the 80 minutes DVD s elections from each UNICA. From 2018 onwards the movies are available via webserver in their original format.

With the correct email address and the password, one designated person from each national organisation can log in and download the movies to be used within the national organisation. The annual DVD is no longer available.

If any national organisation is not able or does not want to download the movies, a USB memory stick can be requested, however the national organisation must pay for the 32Gb USB stick and the postage fee.

Download is free. The only thing needed is a good internet connection. The download can be in blocks or for single movies. Thomas had handed out a short description, which will be sent via email too.

Please note the procedure:

  1. The president of the national organisation has to write an email to the film librarian (Thomas Kräuchi) indicating who is the person who should have access to download.
  2. The librarian will send a login and password.
  3. Only this information will give access.
  4. The film can be accessed a maximum of three times, after which the download is blocked.
  5. Doing like this, we can monitor the IP address, the downloads, and who is doing what and how many times, in order to avoid the loss of data.

Additionally, we will include the catalogues, in order to have the movie information available. Therefore, Thomas asked the national organisations to send all the information they have about their programmes, either as pdf, Word or any other format, to the film archive email address: filmarchiv@unica-web.one.

Austria – Dr. Schörner: asked if Thomas would prefer the brochures distributed before the national programme presentations or separate information for each movie.

Thomas Kräuchi: replied preferably in all the digital formats each national has available. Eventually he will rework it, but it must be digital not paper.

Applause for Thomas Kräuchi

Kees Tervoort opens the General Assembly.
Kees Tervoort opens the General Assembly.

Part 2

  • Film Librarian's Report
  • "Friends of UNICA" Report
    Patronage Report
    Report from CICT/IFTC
  • Admission of new members
  • Proposals by Committee
  • Place and dates of next meetings

Part 3

  • Farewell to Jeanne Glass
  • Miscellaneous without a vote

Papers

Portrait of Tatyana Alahverdhieva.15. Report of the "Friends of UNICA"

Tatyana Alahverdzhieva had produced a written report, which had been distributed to the National Organisations. Additionally, she reported that a meeting of the “Friends of UNICA” has been held in Zeist. She rejoiced that there were record numbers attending and several new members joined. Everybody enjoyed it.

Switzerland – Pia Kalatchoff: suggested it would be nice to receive some information throughout the year. For instance, after the UNICA, a summary of the event and some information on where to watch the movies, plus as soon as possible an invitation for the next UNICA.

Tatyana Alahverdzhieva assured her that she took this very seriously, and it should become easier to do so with the new mailing system.

Applause for Tatyana Alahverdzhieva

Portrait of Wolfgang Allin.16 - Report on Patronage

Wolfang Allin introduced the patronage team: himself, Zuzana Skoludova and Andrzej Przeździecki. Their report had been sent with the GA papers.

He reported that we have 8 patronages in 2019, (see written report for the details). For 2020 two more festivals will be added, so we should be at 10 or more patronages.

He eagerly asked delegates to awake interest in their countries for the patronage. The UNICA Patronage regulations need to be updated. Things that do not work should be questioned. We hope to make amendments to include national festivals as well as international ones.

He called on delegates and the committee to consider which festivals might apply for a patronage. It is important as it is part of the public relations work for UNICA.

On the topic of public relations, he and his wife, Angelika, had made a trailer/promo. That was just the beginning. We will call for the production of such trailers/promos for UNICA through all the national delegates, countries and filmmakers with the aim of achieving wider visibility. The call will likely be in March 2020. The jury will be some committee members. It will be an honour for those who make the films, as no awards are foreseen.

We must promote the younger film makers. Franka Stas is very much engaged in this project. During the years I attended UNICA, and particularly this year, appreciated that the YUW (Young UNICA Workshop) participants introduced themselves at the beginning of the week, so that we understood what the workshop is going to do. He invited everyone to seek out and encourage the younger ones.

Bernhard Lindner: I would like to add that we try hard to push the patronage, but 10-15 people do not have all the ideas, so we need more creativity from you all, to make patronage even more interesting and appealing. Just write your ideas to one of us.

Germany – Marcus Siebler: I very much welcome Wolfgang’s idea to enlarge the patronage to national festivals too. As organiser of a national festival I do really have an interest.

Dave Watterson: this is an example of a fine new committee member. Within a few weeks Wolfgang and his wife brought into action an idea and created the general trailer/promo.

Applause for Wolfgang Allin.

17. Report of the delegate to I.F.T.C. / C.I.C.T.

Portrait of Serge Michel.Serge Michel, the vice-president of C.I.C.T. expanded briefly on his summary report sent along with the papers for the GA.

The activity of C.I.C.T. among UNESCO had been quite limited in 2019. He reckoned it was a year of transition and hoped, that in 2020 he will be able to tell us a lot more about the activities of C.I.C.T. The contact with UNESCO remains dynamic.

Last year (2018) the UNESCO Fellini medal had been given for the 20th time. This prize is given to a movie which deals with the UNESCO values of respect and tolerance. At that time, he did not know if there would be a 21st and he was happy to see, that there was one this year. He hoped, that as the last year with the Swedish movie “I have to save the world”, the jury is working to find a movie which puts once more the values of UNESCO in the forefront. He believed among the movies he had seen so far in Zeist, it would not be too difficult to find one, as many authors seem to hear what is happening nowadays in our world. He will pay attention what is happening, and asked us to bring this message to our national organisations.

Thomas Kräuchi: for two years we did not receive an invoice from UNESCO. Are we still members?
Serge Michel: yes, we are still members. However, none of the members have received an invoice, which reflects what I said earlier, it is a transition year. An invoice will be good news, as C.I.C.T. will be working again.

Austria – Georg Schörner: we highly appreciate the Fellini medal. Last year we received a small commemorative brochure. I could not find this brochure, which is by the way only in French. Where is it available? On the UNICA webpage or on the C: I.C.T. site? As we would like to make a bit of advertising for this medal, it would be useful to have this brochure in digital form, to translate it and to make use of it.
Serge Michel: I think the president of the C.I.C.T will be pleased to hear these words of recognition. I will pass this on and hopefully we’ll be able to put it online.

Dave Watterson: as an outgoing webmaster, I am happy to say the list of winners is online.

Applause for Serge Michel.


18.  Admission of new members

Dave Watterson: was sorry to say that there were no new members to report. The financial situation of the world makes it difficult for small national organisations to find the extra money to come to UNICA. If you know people who want to join us, let us know.
No members have been suspended.

19. Discussion and vote about the proposals submitted by the Committee:

a)    A long-overdue update to Statute 6.4 to show the fees agreed in 2011: 900, 400 and 200€. Note that this is NOT a change of the fees, which have been paid for the last 7 years.

Dave Watterson: There were many discussions between 2010 and 2011 about the fees, and in 2011 the General Assembly agreed on the three levels of payment, that have existed ever since. It was intended, that this would be explained in the Bylaws of UNICA, but for some reason it was never included. It will be in the next edition.
No questions from the audience.

b)    "UNICA supports participation in the YUW (Young UNICA Workshops) with a maximum of 1800€ per year, taking into account the regulations in the manual. The proposal is valid for the next 3 years".

Dave Watterson: how to pay for Young UNICA has long been a question. After much discussion, the committee suggested, that we standardise the support. Instead of having a variable amount, such as “half the fee for so many people”, we will make a clear statement. We propose to give up to 1800€ per year to the nation hosting the UNICA to help cover the cost of any Young UNICA Workshop. It will be up to the country how to use the money to subside the costs. We propose to try this for the next three years and after that it can be reviewed. It is a big commitment for UNICA, but we believe it is an important concept.
The proposal is that we give up to 1800€ per year to the next hosting country for the next three years providing they organise a YUW.

Approved unanimously.

Portrait of Franka Stas.Dave Watterson: we would like to underline how much we appreciate the work of Franka Stas for the YUW. She becomes a temporary mother, who looks after the participants.
Applause for Franka Stas.


20. Selection of place and date of the Congresses for the following three years:


a)    2020: Birmingham (UK)
Allan Atkinson
(UK Organisation Committee): Birmingham is second largest city in the UK, in the middle of the Country. It has a new theatre in the city centre, which is surrounded by pedestrian areas, cafés and hotels. The full day excursion will take us to an open-air museum, the Black Country Living Museum, which gives an insight into the heart of the industrial revolution. The half day trip will take us through the centre of Birmingham. There are many other interesting things to visit around Birmingham, castles and grand houses. We hope to see you all in 2020 in Birmingham.

Austria – Georg Schörner:
expressed concern about duplication of information in the 2019 film registration system used in 2019. He reported that in VÖFA’s opinion it should be sufficient if the author sends the signed application, which then is sent on to the National Organisation for approval.

Dave Watterson: The 2020 system of online registration had not been finalised. He agreed, it was pointless to duplicate data.

He reminded the meeting, that there had been strong arguments, particularly from the French delegation, that it is the job of the national organisation to send most of the information. The author has to send her or his agreement and state that she or he owns the copyright.

When the essential information is typed onto a website form, it avoids transcription mistakes and is much easier for the host nation to produce an excellent programme booklet. He praised the booklet for Zeist, thanks to the work of Vladimir Murtin, and to the registration system, which was built by Emile de Gruijters and Tini Schuurmans.

Sweden – Aase Högfeldt: in Sweden we have a different system, in fact this year it was double work for us. We collected all the films along with the information and at the end it messed up, because the author had to do the same. Because they have to sign a paper that they have the rights.

Russia Julia – Obraztcova : It was rather the same in our country. I chased all the filmmakers to produce the form, and then I asked them to send it, and to scan it. I kept the form they signed, when they participated in our White Nights Festival. For older people the internet is very hard.

Dave Watterson: It was still possible to send author forms by post. In spite of the difficulties our lawyers insist, that we have a signed form from each author saying that the copyright belongs to them. We are not allowed to accept this form from a national organisation or any other third party.

Austria – Peter Glatzl: to repeat, for legal reasons, UNICA has to receive the signed copyright declaration from the author to the UNICA. Our problem is that we have to send in the film data again as a national organisation. Maybe there is possibility to simplify the process.

Dave Watterson: I think, that in future the author form may ask only for their signature, copyright and permission to publish their name or names. The technical information might go through the national form.

France – Jeanne Glass:
we could explain the legal reasons why authors have to fill in the forms during our national meetings.
(continued on next page)


These draft  Minutes await approval by the next General Assembly

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