Warmest greetings to you all,

I have currently been at the IMAGO ”helm” for a little over two months and it has been full steam ahead with the Board operating with a great sense of enthusiasm and optimism.

My priority, and that of the Board, is to determine an election date and to commence work on revising the IMAGO Statutes. These, as I said, are a priority but we also have other business to attend to as well.

International collaboration is of paramount importance and, in recent times, that has seen IMAGO liaise with FERA and the Slovenian Society with our support to rally behind our friends within the Slovenian Society, indeed the Arts community of Slovenia and one hopes that the combined support of many like-minded organisations will be a strong enough incentive for the Slovenian Government to consider the position they have taken which is directly affecting and disadvantaging many of our colleagues. What we do and say as a collective does help and it also lifts the spirits of those directly affected. It was especially pleasing to receive this email just recently…

Dear colleagues, 

I would like to thank each and all of you on behalf of the guilds and associations within the Slovenian film industry AND in the name of all individuals that have been suffering creative, moral and financial consequences of a now 7 months-long film blockade. Your swift and perfectly orchestrated response made us all realize we’re not alone. And that was such a heartwarming feeling!We will keep you posted on unravelling of events - every Tuesday afternoon, materials are put on the Government session’s agenda. Let’s hope we’ll be having some good news this time.

With warmest regards,
Klemen Dvornik, Chairman
The Slovenian Federation of Filmmakers’ Guilds

(you can read the letter which I wrote in support of the Slovenian Arts community on behalf of the IMAGO Board by clicking here. In this short video, professionals from the Slovenian film and audiovisual industry share the devastating impact that a more than six-month delay of governmental transfers for the financing of national cinematography is having on their livelihoods).

IMAGO has many social media platforms available to members and the wider industry, so let’s collaborate and communicate in order to achieve our goals. Let us all agree to keep the lines of communication open, so we can all better understand ourselves and each other.

It is my intention to advise all member countries of significant decisions at the Board level that need to be made, and I have complete confidence in the IMAGO Board that any discussions and decisions will be with an open mind and in the best interests of IMAGO members.

Camerimage is now behind us and all the IMAGO Sessions were a great success and further enhanced IMAGO as a supporter of industry and cinematographers globally. To all those who participated, my sincere thanks on behalf of us all for your commitment and steadfast stance on the fact that IMAGO has a valued place at the decision-making table. To Camerimage and to Kazik Suwala and the magnificent team, thank you for your encouragement which is greatly appreciated, long may Camerimage be a guiding force and may the relationship between Camerimage and IMAGO continue well into the future across many platforms.

I believe it is important that old wounds are healed with a degree of urgency and those members who are at this time not participating as they once were, will return and offer their knowledge and maturity to IMAGO in order to reinforce the great sense of “family” that existed only a short time ago.

In closing, I want to thank Kees van Oostrum ASC for his leadership when it was needed and thanks to him also for his determination to uphold the spirit of IMAGO.

Both I and the IMAGO Board welcome any thoughts you may have to increase our awareness and the potential future possibilities.

I look forward to us all meeting again soon to renew friendships and have open and honest discussions based on mutual respect.

Warmest regards,

Ron Johanson Interim Chair | IMAGO