Association of German Film Critics
The Association of German Film Critics (VdFk) is an interest group of film journalists, film critics , film scholars and film historians, whose statutory tasks are to support the professional orientation and promotion of its members as well as the promotion and training of suitable young film journalists.
The association was founded on February 15, 1954 in Düsseldorf under the name Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Filmjournalisten eV . The current seat is Berlin . With around 300 members, the VdFk is the largest national section within the international film critic association Fédération Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique (FIPRESCI). In cooperation with FIPRESCI, the VdFk sends journalists to juries at international film festivals .
The members decide annually on the German Film Critics' Prize , which the VdFk has been awarding German films since 1957 (for the 1956 film year). The German Film Critics' Prize is awarded exclusively by professional film critics. Economic, state-specific, audience or technology-oriented criteria play no role. Only independent artistic criteria are decisive. The prize has been awarded in twelve categories since 2001. The award ceremony takes place during the Berlinale and has been carried out in cooperation with Barbarella Entertainment since 2016.
Since 2015, the VdFk has also hosted the Film Festival Critique Week .