UNDP partners with Film Festival on MDGs in Brussels

UNDP Brussels, the MDG Achievment Fund (MDGF) and the wider UN family in Brussels are proud partners of the Millenium International Documentary Film Festival, taking place every year since 2009 in Brussels.

Through the film festival, we, together with the organizers of the festival, seek to raise awareness of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sustainable Development, topics which are often not very high on the agenda of people outside the development realm.

In his video message at the festival in 2012 (see above),UNDP Goodwill Ambassador, Antonio Banderas, says that as an artist,he believes in the power of art and films. "Documentary films inspires us, they inspire change, they mobilise and unite us around our common goal : a better world for all of us. I support the festival because I believe together we can make change happen."

The Millenium International Documentary Film Festival was created in 2008 and had its first edition in 2009. The festival is unique in that its programming is devoted to the eight MDGs and related social, cultural and environmental issues. The festival screens documentaries from all corners of the world

The festival strongly supports the voices of documentary filmmakers who persistently continue to portray the world, in all its richness and complexity. The festival has been able to show that high quality documentaries will help us understand the world more accurately, and help us reflect on how our societies can deal with major issues in a better way. We believe that documentary films are a strong and subtle communication tool that can help us raise the awareness of issues that are important in our times.

After 4 editions, the festival has become an international event, a real forum and meeting centre on major issues of development. It brings together committed filmmakers, scientists, intellectuals, policy makers, lobbyists, journalists and an international public. The 2012 edition of the festival screened 50 films portraying the MDGs in one way or another. The festival was attended by 12,600 people. 15 high-quality and inspiring documentaries competed for 7 MDG-related awards, out of which the film “Up in Smoke” won the “Objectif d’Argent” – UNDP’s Award for Best Development Message.