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VIEW FROM THE TOP•MUSTAPHA BARAT ABC, IMAGO PRESIDENT
CALL FOR CAMARADERIE
Dear Fellow Cinematographers…
In May of this year, at the IMAGO Extraordinary General Assembly (IEGA), I was elected president of IMAGO. It is an honour both in itself, and also for being the first president from a Latin American society. This came after I was also recently elected president of the Brazilian Association Of Cinematography (ABC), which is also part of FELAFC, Federación Latinoamericana de Autores de Fotografía Cinematográfica.
Like any voluntary organisation, IMAGO is only as efficient and effective as its members. In that respect it is very important to salute and pointout our important dedicated committees – covering Authorship, Diversity & Inclusion, Education, Elections, Master Classes, Technical and Working Conditions – who work hard for the rights of cinematographers and the advancement of cinematography.
To that end, I will collaborate with all of them, so that they can improve the scope of their work, carry out and advance each one in their respective activities. Which again is very important for us cinematographers, including our representation before government entities and other organisations.
The committees are always looking for people to get involved if you have a particular interest in their specific subjects. The IMAGO website carries full information on all the committees and their work, and if anyone feels motivated, please get in touch with the relevant chairs.
As IMAGO’s new president, it is clear that my responsibilities and commitment are to all members societies in the federation and to cinematographers the world over.
I see this as an opportunity to continue in the steps of my predecessors to expand the membership; to bring back European societies that left; and to include more societies from Latin America, African and Asia, thus continuing our transition to a truly international federation.
As cinematography is our main activity, it is extremely important to be a federation where all members feel better-represented and welcomed, so they can share information, exchange ideas and experiences.
To this end, one of the first steps is to improve our communication, starting with the IMAGO website, making it easier for everyone to access and navigate, as well as using existing social media platforms and working on other possibilities available.
The objective is to make IMAGO a centre of communication and interaction in all matters related to cinematography, a point-of-reference where anyone can find the right and up-to-date information, as well as like-minded people. Which is not to say that magazines, such as Cinematography World, do not already play and accomplish a very important role towards that aim. They do!
Ours is a fantastic job, sometimes overlooked – at film festivals, for example – and, at IMAGO, we are in a unique position to promote changes in that respect. Only by working together and increasing interest in our activity and in our community can we achieve this.
Another important point is for IMAGO to work towards implementing new statutes democratically, through wide consultation with all members, to allow for a necessary updating, more in tune with the changing reality and with the wishes and needs of its members, as well as to provide new ideas and renewal.
It is essential that all of us invest in… understanding, friendship, inclusion and camaraderie
I am aware of all the responsibilities and challenges that lie ahead. What is motivating, is the knowledge of the difficulties that we all face in our activity and thinking that we can evolve, even if one step at a time, so that the next generations will be able find a more welcoming and fairer situation.
Obviously, I’m not in this mission alone – vice-presidents Adriana Bernal ADFC and Bojana Andric SAS, secretary general Alex Linden FSF, and the IMAGO Board, are all essential to the pursuit and achievement of these goals. I believe that with respect, democracy and transparency we will be able to advance in this enterprise.
It is important to remember we are all cinematographers before the positions we hold in our associations and at IMAGO. Therefore, I take the opportunity to thank the hard work of all the members, all the associates, who are divided between the film set and the necessary organisational and bureaucratic work of the federation.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Luciano Tovoli AIC, the founder of IMAGO who had the brilliant idea of bringing together cinematographers from all over the world back in 1992. If he hadn’t believed deeply, worked hard, nor been persistent, we wouldn’t have IMAGO representing us worldwide nowadays.
This year, on December 13th, we are happy to announce IMAGO will be celebrating its 30th anniversary, an incentive and determination to continue with our work.
And finally, it is important to mention that, as we are in a world where intolerance is in evidence, it is essential all of us invest in an atmosphere that is more conducive to understanding, friendship, inclusion and camaraderie. Since, despite our diverse origins, we have in common a love and dedication to cinematography.
Having just assumed the presidency and starting the work, most changes have not yet taken place effectively but for those who want to access our Instagram and our website to have more information and participate more in our federation, you will be very welcome.
Needless to say, if you’re reading this from a country whose society is not yet a member of IMAGO, please get in touch so we can set your society’s application in motion. Thank you.
Yours sincerely… Mustapha Barat ABC IMAGO President www.imago.org @imagocinematography
