Letter to Serge Losique

Serge Losique
President, The World Film Festival
Montreal, Canada

Dear Serge,

In 40 years of the Montreal World Film Festival you opened doors to a new appreciation of world cinema. We had the pleasure to be with you, as critics and as jurors judging the films from our point of view  – we had this pleasure for almost 30 years. We have to thank you profoundly for your openess to, and support for us critics of cinema.

The sad news is that this year we cannot be with you. It’s a decision dictated by organizational circumstances. Today, one day before the opening, the five colleagues forming the FIPRESCI jury (four international, one national) do not have any reliable information about their way to Montreal and their stay at the festival – in particular in regard of air tickets. It seems to be a question of communication, as far as I can see. We cannot ask the five colleagues to be still available, especially concerning their publications and editorial offices.

It’s with regret that we’ve to cancel the FIPRESCI jury of this year. I hope, however, that better circumstances allow us next year to re-consider the work of a critics’ jury, and to celebrate then 30 years of our cooperation.

Good luck for the upcoming edition 
and best personal wishes

Munich, August 24, 2016
Klaus Eder

Jury members should have been: Hassouna Mansouri, The Netherlands; Marco Lombardi, Italy; Dennis Vetter, Germany; Agustin Acevedo Kanopa, Uruguay; and Luc Chaput, Canada.