Imago was attending 2 major events in Mexico on this end June, a unique opportunity to meet major actors in the cinematography in Latin America.

The Exhibition was organized in the World Trade of Mexico City and gathered most of the manufacturers represented by their local or American dealers, under the banner of EFD, the most prominent camera and equipment rental in Mexico but also in Colombia and Chile.

Gorgina Teran

I met CEO Georgina Teran who is managing this company (more than 300 employees, 30 to 40 pick up of equipment/day) with charisma and efficiency. The company was celebrating on the Saturday, their 20th anniversary and it was the time for the whole business to pay a tribute to these entrepreneurs and enjoy a real Mexican Fiesta including the Mariachis.

EFD was also hosting on stage different panels or specialists to touch hot topics like Full Frame filming, HDR, using the Venice, presentation of the RED Monstro system, but also a very interesting “charla” as they say, about the Women in the Latin American Cinematography.
Impressing gathering ( V wise) including Presidents ACC- Chile-Maura Morales Bergman, ADF-Argentina-Paola Rizzi, and ADFC- Colombia- Adriana Bernal, but also the delegate of Apertura,

Jean de Montgrand ROSCO DMG

Sandra da Silva and 2 famous Cinematographers from Mexico and Venezuela. As a conclusion of this panel, they were united to say that “basta talking about the problems of the women in the film business, let us talk about film making and cinematography” an official statement will follow very soon.
EFD organized also a mini festival of Latin  American films, especially selected for the quality of the photography by each society.

	ASC booth-Saul Molina, James Neihouse and Alex Lopez	EFD – COOKE booth	Alejandro Alcocer-ZEISS

Guillermo Granillo AMC, Georgina Teran EFD and Ricardo Matamoros SVC	Federico Teran and ARRI USA Robert Brettenstein	Rainer Hercher with Donald Bryant founder of AMC

Mexico, General Assembly and public presentation of the FELAFC, June 25th to 29th

FELAFC,  the Federación Latinoamericana de Autores de Fotografía Cinematográfica

The meeting as the opportunity of consolidating the statutes and was the first time the 8 countries were meeting for real.
FELAFC,  the Federación Latinoamericana de Autores de Fotografía Cinematográfica including for the moment 8 national associations represented:
Paola Rizzi, ADF. (Argentina)- 23 years old
Carlos Pacheco, ABC. (Brasil)- 20 years old in 2020
Maura Morales, ACC. (Chile)- 4 years old
Adriana Bernal, ADFC. (Colombia)- 11 years old
Guillermo Granillo, AMC. (México) – 27 years old
Pili Flores-Guerra, DFP. (Perú)- 6 years old
Raúl Etcheverry, SCU. (Uruguay)- 5 years old
Ricardo Matamoros, SVC-
It was the time to elaborate new statutes, and also elect a new secretary general. Ricardo Matamoros SVC was holding very efficiently the function for the last 4 years and hand over to AMC represented by Guillermo Granillo for period of 2 years.
it was for us a very important and interesting meeting. It is true that we don’t know so much about these countries and their cinematography.
The idea of the FELAFC (difficult name, it has been asked to look for a simpler and sexier alternative), is to coordinate the efforts of the national associations to promote, and favor the recognition of the authors of cinematography in Latin America and throughout the world.
Still missing some important countries, but the group is working to bring them in
(Ecuador- they are on the way of creating a national association and by consequence will join Imago and Felafc very soon, Guatemala, Bolivia, Panama and Costa Rica).
Discussion were of course around funding as all countries are facing difficulties to get the membership paid and sponsors to support them.
Authorship is also a hot topic: in Mexico at least the moral rights are recognized from 1996, in Venezuela , just before the sad events they were one week short of being recognized, in Uruguay, members are not interested but the board is fighting, in Peru it is about to be official- already for TV productions. But the collecting societies system is not enough or not developed.
Latin American countries are also suffering of the closed borders and customs systems: so it is very difficult for them to work or send equipment in a different country. Felafc should also help to smooth the process.
Education, sharing, showing films, help to the other associations, communication, organization of events are some of the goals and aims of the Federation, a hard task is waiting for these courageous members.
The constitutional meeting ended up with a public presentation during the EFD salon in frnt of a big audience, cinematographers, sponsors and partners. It was really well received and our presence was very much appreciated as a sign of support and recognition.
Of course the appartenance to Imago is strong and this federation should help to maintain the tight links with Imago and favor the communication which has been a little bit loose the last years. We will follow closely what is happening on the other side of the Atlantic, and I promised we will support their efforts the best we can.

Repot by Louis Phillipe Capele IMAGO SBC