On September 7, 2020 IDFA (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam) announced that an International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk has been launched officially in Venice.
To activate the film community’s collective response to cases of filmmakers facing severe risk, the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, International Film Festival Rotterdam and the European Film Academy have joined forces in establishing the International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk.
In these critical situations, the international film community could make a difference in supporting campaigns for the freedom of these filmmakers or pressuring authorities for their release. As the response of the film community has so far been deeply fragmentized, more co-ordinated action is needed.
On the side of the Venice Film Festival, “Join the International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk (ICFR)” saw Marion Döring (Director, European Film Academy), Mike Downey, (Chairman, European Film Academy), Vanja Kaludjercic (Festival Director, International Film Festival Rotterdam), Orwa Nyrabia (Artistic Director, International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam) and Marjan van der Haar (Managing Director, International Film Festival Rotterdam) unite at the festival’s Spazio Incontri. To the invited festival attendees—film professionals and journalists—they explained the ICFR’s idea and activities:
The mission of the International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk is to advocate for and to act in solidarity with filmmakers at risk. The Coalition will respond to cases of persecution or threats to the personal safety of these filmmakers and will defend their right to continue their work, by mobilizing the international film community.
Activities will include:
- Advocacy
- Accessing the support system
- Monitoring and observatory.
That there is scope may be clear from the following examples:
https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2020/08/07/update-to-monas-campaign-for-her-sister/
https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2013/06/26/human-rights-film-makers-kidnapped-in-sulu-philippines/
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 
September 20, 2020 at 12:02
[…] Bruce Haring reported on 19 September that Cameron Bailey and Joana Vicente, the co-heads of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) have called for the immediate release of documentary filmmaker hajooj kuka. The new NGO for filmmakers at risk could pick it up, see: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2020/09/08/%e2%80%8binternational-coalition-for-filmmakers-at-risk… […]