19/09/2002 - European Film Promotion says the suspension of the director of the Film Fund penalises Icelandic cinema

The President of the European Film Promotion, Claudia Landsberger, has written an open letter to the minister of culture in Iceland, Tomas Ingi Olrich, to protest against his decision to suspend Thorfinnur Omarsson from his job as the director of the Icelandic Film Fund. The official reason for Omarsson’s suspension was because of figures missing from the Fund’s accountancy. A debate has been ongoing for the last weeks in Icelandic media about the reasoning for Omarsson’s suspension, but his supporters claim that it was a political decision, suitable for the Prime minister’s personal interests.
Claudia Landsberger states in her letter that by discarding the investment which the Icelandic film authorities have made in Omarsson’s work, the visibility of Icelandic films will be jeopardised over the next few years. He has been a member of the board of Directors of European Film Promotion.

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