Visions du réel
Encyclopedia
Visions du Réel is an international documentary film festival
held in April each year in Nyon
, Switzerland
. Established in 1969 as the Nyon International Documentary Film Festival, the event adopted its current name in 1995.
At its inception, the festival promoted Swiss films and films that were otherwise inaccessible — that is, those created in the Eastern Bloc
countries behind the Iron Curtain
. Now open to worldwide entries, the week-long festival has been directed by film critic Jean Perret since 1995.
The festival was founded by Moritz de Hadeln
(who later headed the Locarno International Film Festival
, the Berlin International Film Festival
, the Venice International Film Festival and the short-lived New Montreal FilmFest of 2005) and his wife Erika von dem Hagen:
Moritz de Hadeln directed the festival until 1979, and he assisted Erika when she took over as head of the festival from 1980 to 1993.
During the early years of the Nyon International Documentary Film Festival, Erika de Hadeln negotiated with the film authorities in East Europe and Russia — and worked with documentary film-makers including Joris Ivens
, Roman Karmen
, Georges Rouquier
, Basil Wright
, and Henri Storck
. The event served as a template for film festivals that followed, including those in Amsterdam and Munich.
Film festival
A film festival is an organised, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theaters or screening venues, usually in a single locality. More and more often film festivals show part of their films to the public by adding outdoor movie screenings...
held in April each year in Nyon
Nyon
Nyon is a municipality in the district of Nyon in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It is located some 25 kilometers north east of Geneva's city centre, and since the 1970s it has become part of the Geneva metropolitan area. It lies on the shores of Lake Geneva, and is the seat of the district of...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. Established in 1969 as the Nyon International Documentary Film Festival, the event adopted its current name in 1995.
At its inception, the festival promoted Swiss films and films that were otherwise inaccessible — that is, those created in the Eastern Bloc
Eastern bloc
The term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...
countries behind the Iron Curtain
Iron Curtain
The concept of the Iron Curtain symbolized the ideological fighting and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1989...
. Now open to worldwide entries, the week-long festival has been directed by film critic Jean Perret since 1995.
The festival was founded by Moritz de Hadeln
Moritz de Hadeln
Moritz de Hadeln is a Swiss documentary Film director and photographer, who became a Film Festival director...
(who later headed the Locarno International Film Festival
Locarno International Film Festival
The Film Festival Locarno is an international film festival held annually in the city of Locarno, Switzerland since 1946. After Cannes and Venice and together with Karlovy Vary, Locarno is the Film Festival with the longest history...
, the Berlin International Film Festival
Berlin International Film Festival
The Berlin International Film Festival , also called the Berlinale, is one of the world's leading film festivals and most reputable media events. It is held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in West Berlin in 1951, the festival has been celebrated annually in February since 1978...
, the Venice International Film Festival and the short-lived New Montreal FilmFest of 2005) and his wife Erika von dem Hagen:
Moritz de Hadeln directed the festival until 1979, and he assisted Erika when she took over as head of the festival from 1980 to 1993.
During the early years of the Nyon International Documentary Film Festival, Erika de Hadeln negotiated with the film authorities in East Europe and Russia — and worked with documentary film-makers including Joris Ivens
Joris Ivens
Joris Ivens was a Dutch documentary filmmaker and committed communist.-Early life and career:...
, Roman Karmen
Roman Karmen
Roman Lazarevich Karmen was a Soviet war camera-man and film director and one of the most influential figures in documentary film making; insofar as his propaganda is concerned he could be considered USSR's answer to Leni Riefenstahl, though the comparison is by no means absolute.-Communist...
, Georges Rouquier
Georges Rouquier
Georges Rouquier was a French actor, film director and screenwriter. He appeared in 12 films between 1942 and 1982. He also directed ten films between 1942 and 1983.-Selected filmography:...
, Basil Wright
Basil Wright
Basil Wright, , was a documentary filmmaker, film historian, film critic and teacher.-Biography:...
, and Henri Storck
Henri Storck
Henri Storck was a Belgian author, film-maker and documentarist.In 1933, he directed, with Joris Ivens, Misère au Borinage, a film about the miners in the Borinage area. In 1938, with Andre Thirifays and Pierre Vermeylen, he founded the Cinémathèque Royale de Belgique...
. The event served as a template for film festivals that followed, including those in Amsterdam and Munich.
External links
- Visions du Réel, Official website (in French, German and English)