The International Council for Film, Television and Audiovisual Communication (IFTC) is the UNESCO advisory body on all matters concerned with film, television and new media. It has functioned for over 50 years as an independent NGO in official formal associate relations with UNESCO, and is one of the select few to be based at UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris.
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The IFTC, which is also known under its French title of “Conseil International du Cinema, de la Television et de la Communication Audiovisuelle” or “CICT”, was created on the 23rd October 1958 at a meeting convened by UNESCO and attended by representatives of 39 international associations on the occasion of UNESCO’s General Conference in New Delhi.[1] The most prominent international federations and associations in the world of film and television became its founding members.
In 1980, Enrico Fulchignoni, who was at that time Director of artistic and literary creation at UNESCO and President of the IFTC, added the term “Audiovisual Communication” to its title so as to include the burgeoning new media within its remit.[2]
The IFTC is the only organisation which has the UNESCO remit to bring together, on an international level, every professional body concerned with audiovisual communication including those concerned with new media.[3]
There are 327 NGOs in “official” relations with UNESCO. Of these, there are 86 which are in “formal” relations with UNESCO. Of these, there are 22 which are in “associate” relations with UNESCO.[4] Of these “official, formal, associate” NGOs, the IFTC is one of ten whose headquarters are at the UNESCO offices in Paris.[5]
The aim of the IFTC is to i) unite the audiovisual professions, including new information technology, video cassettes, cable TV and satellites to ensure their effective relations with UNESCO; and ii) act as spokesman for UNESCO and for the audiovisual professions in UNESCO's area of competence; i.e. education, science, culture and communication.[6]
The IFTC celebrated its 50th birthday at UNESCO on October 23, 2008 [7]
Inoussa Ousseini, Niger’s ambassador to UNESCO and Head of Niger’s permanent delegation at UNESCO
Jean-Michel Arnold: past President of the IFTC, General Secretary of the Cinémathèque Française , President of CAMERA, and General Secretary of RIAVS
Serge Michel: representing UNICA
Pier Paolo Saporito: past President of the IFTC, President of OCCAM
Daniel Van Espen: past President of the IFTC, representing SIGNIS
The Executive Committee is elected from member organisations and currently includes representatives of :
ASIFA: International Animated Film Association [8]
Sayoko Kinoshita, President
CAMERA: Conseil Audiovisuel Mondial pour l'Édition et la Recherche sur l'Art[9]
Jean-Michel Arnold, President
CICAE: Confédération Internationale des Cinémas d'Art et d'Essai[10]
Sylvie da Rocha, General Secretary
COPEAM: Conférence Permanente de l'Audiovisuel Méditerranéen[11]
Emmanuel Hoog, President
Alessandra Paradisi, General Secretary
FIA: Fédération Internationale des Acteurs [12]
Agnete Haaland, President
Dominick Luquer, General Secretary
OCCAM: Observatory for Cultural and Audiovisual Communication[13]
Pier Paolo Saporito, President
RIAVS Rencontres Internationales / Image et Science[14]
Jean-Claude Carrière and Robert Silman, President(s)
Jean-Michel Arnold and Annick Demeule, General Secretary(s)
SIGNIS: World Catholic Association for Communication[15]
Alvito De Souza, General Secretary
Daniel Van Espen, representing SIGNIS at the IFTC
UNICA: Union National du Cinema[16]
Max Hänsli, President
Jan Essing, General Secretary
Serge Michel, representing UNICA at the IFTC
The principal role of the IFTC is to be the channel to and from UNESCO for all matters relating to film television audiovisual communication and the new media. This includes i) advising UNESCO on its “Creative Cities of Cinema” program,[17] ii) participating in the planning of UNESCO programmes, iii) being closely associated with UNESCO's Division on “Freedom of Information” within the Culture and Communications sector, iv) carrying out surveys at UNESCO's request, etc.
It also organizes festivals (with the award “Prix du CICT”), workshops (e.g. for training the handicapped in audiovisual techniques), adult education programs; as well as convening debates and meetings for specialists in education, science or culture.