Film as a tool

The CVB works closely with partner associations at each stage of production, from direction to promotion, to make films that can serve as educational, awareness-raising or information tools.

Whereas Ateliers de production (Production Workshops) helps filmmakers fulfil their film projects, the association section of the CVB (as a recognized audiovisual operator and continuing education) supports associations and citizens in their audiovisual projects.

The guiding principle behind our approach has always been to work with, and not on, associations and citizens. The idea here is to use filmmaking, particularly documentary filmmaking, with people that are vulnerable, excluded and marginalised for the most, as a means for expression and raising awareness and consciousness.

From film as an educational aid to film as a tool for informing people, raising awareness or highlighting an activity, the outcome is based on collaborative work between partners. Hand-in-hand with the association involved, the CVB takes care of the production, direction and promotion stages, from budgeting, raising the financing, writing the screenplay, shooting, editing and sound mixing to organising the premiere and distributing the film.

The originality of films that are used as tools, and particularly as educational tools, comes from the way in which they are actually made: the CVB is assiduous and thorough in applying the concept of active participation when it comes to the general public and associations.

Working with a public that is also the target audience for the educational tools is the most important aspect of our programme. And although sometimes, our work may not be organised around workshops, we find that the active participation of the target audiences and their cultural expression are indispensable as they are at the heart of all our endeavours.

In the same vein as the Production Workshop, projects are chosen in-house by a committee made up of Louise Labib and Martine Depauw (executive producers), Claudine Van O and Philippe Cotte (in charge of promotion and distribution), and Michel Steyaert (managing director).

Projects have to comply with the objectives and values of the association. Selection is also based on the type of participants and/or association involved, the collective spirit, the participatory processes involved, the geographical area implicated, and the emancipatory objectives or collective and individual transformation goals.