Editor

As of January 1, 2010, The Filmmuseum, Holland Film, the Netherlands Institute for Film Education, and the Filmbank will pool their resources and form a new organization. The merger of these associate institutes will result in an umbrella body for Dutch film culture, known for now as the Netherlands Film Sector Institute.

The establishment of the Netherlands Film Sector Institute is the result of Education, Culture, and Sport Minister Ronald Plasterk's insistence that the sector unite in a nationwide institute, comparable to sector institutes such as the Netherlands Music Center, the Netherlands Theater Institute (TIN), and the Netherlands Architecture Institute (NAi). This operation has been prompted by a desire to support the film sector with a central institute, stimulate cooperation between organizations, and give Dutch film culture a single face and point of contact.

The Culture Council reacted positively to the merger plan submitted by the future partners, and advised Minister Plasterk to initiate a prompt realization. On Monday, October 12, Plasterk announced that he would adopt the Culture Council's advice as well as grant an additional contribution for investment in new responsibilities for the institute.

The Film Sector Institute will determine the face of Dutch cinema both at home and abroad, and serve as both booster and ambassador of the country's film culture. To accomplish these goals, it will make use of a world-renowned film collection, restoration and research expertise, and considerable experience in education, international promotion, and marketing. Employing innovative methods, the Film Sector Institute will dedicate itself to the propagation of film knowledge through international collaboration, research, and debate.

Who are the partners involved?

The Filmbank - With four employees and 11 volunteers, the Filmbank distributes and presents pioneer Dutch films from all genres both at home and abroad. These films are brought to people's attention by means of film programs, book publications, DVDs, exhibitions, websites, and Internet channels. The Filmbank is headquartered in the same building as the Filmmuseum, and the two organizations already collaborate on a regular basis. Managing Director: Anna Abrahams. http://www.filmbank.nl/

Holland Film - With a staff of six, Holland Film works to increase the visibility of Dutch cinema on the international market by means of marketing, promotion, and spreading knowledge. In addition, Holland Film supports and advises producers on how to generate attention for their films on the international stage. For the international film world, Holland Film is the expert on the Dutch film community. Managing director: Claudia Landsberger. http://www.hollandfilm.nl/

Netherlands Institute for Film Education (NIF) - With 13 employees, the NIF is the film sector's national expertise center in the field of education on film and other media. In addition to services that include advice and stimulation of know-how, the NIF also performs activities such as national educational film programs that reach a total of 185,000 children and adolescents each year. Managing Director: Gabriël Maassen. http://www.filmeducatie.nl/

The Filmmuseum - Manned by a staff of 150, the Filmmuseum is the largest and most important center for cinematography in the Netherlands. The museum manages a collection of approximately 37,000 tiles that encompasses the entire history of film, houses an extensive collection of archives and film-related materials, and is one of the biggest cinema libraries in Europe. Managing Director: Sandra den Hamer. http://www.filmmuseum.nl/