The festival takes place every year in March. It hosts a feature films competition, a short films competition and several parallel sections. FIFF runs projects all year long such as cultural mediation or its involvement in supporting productions.
Its mission statement:
The Fribourg International Film Festival (FIFF) discovers new and original film-making from around the world, especially Asia, Africa and Latin America, and its carefully curated competition programme serves as a showcase for these works. FIFF is an event which prizes excellence and embraces all cultures and genres, from intimate, introspective works right through to big-budget productions. At the same time, it offers a unique, welcoming and relaxed space for informal dialogue and encounters. FIFF is also passionate about spotting emerging talent and bringing these gifted film makers into FIFF’s extended family
FIFF is an effective and committed cultural mediator, a conveyor of emotions and a firm believer in the power of cultural and linguistic diversity in film.
The Team
The Festival takes place every year in March and takes part in projects all year long. FIFF employs nine persons on a yearly contract and about fifteen others join the team for the months before the Festival. Each edition is possible with the help of a great number of volunteers.
The executive direction is seperated between the head of operation and the artistic direction. Philippe Clivaz directs operation since October 2019 and Thierry Jobin is FIFF's artistic director since May 2011.
More insights about the team:
• The team 2023-2024
• Job offers
• Organisation chart (in French)
The association
The Fribourg International Film Festival Association is the funding body of the Festival. Founded in 1987 with headquater in Fribourg, the non-profit organization aims to promote the understanding between the cultures and more particularly between the so-called North and South. It gives preference to films that stimulate reflection and provoke discussion.
The Association is formed by Festival friends and active members (individuals or collective membership) and counts almost 300 persons. The membership fees contribute to the organization of the Festival. They are also connected to some interesting advantages. Become a friend or a member of the festival too.
More insights about the board:
Board members
Mathieu Fleury Since November 2018 |  |
Marine Jordan Since 2019 |  |
Christine Eggs Since 2019 |  |
Beki Probst Since 2020 | |
Geraldine Zeuner Since 2020 |  |
Xavier Barras Since 2019 |  |
Paul-Albert Nobs Since 2017 |  |
Thierry Savary Since 2019 |  |
Dominique Willemin Since 2007 |  |
Status (in French)
Former presidents
Magda Bossy
Ivan Stern †
Paul Jubin †
Jean-Paul Rüttimann †
Charles Ridoré
Jean-François Giovannini †
Ruth Lüthi
Walter Stoffel
François Nordmann
Founding and institutional members
Helvetas
Action de Carême
Déclaration de Berne (today's name Public Eye)
Pain pour le Prochain
Swissaid
And joined later by l’Entraide Protestante (EPER), Frères sans frontières (today's name E-changer), Groupes volontaires d’outre-mer (GVOM) and Magasins du Monde
Ehrenkomitee
FIFF gathers each year a Board of honour. It consists of leading figures from the political, economic, cultural and film industry world who wish to support the goals and the spirit of the Festival.
Board of honour 2024
Elisabeth Baume-Schneider
Conseillère fédérale
Cheffe du Département fédéral de l’intérieur
Eric Nussbaumer
Nationalratspräsident
Eva Herzog
Ständeratspräsidentin
Jean-Pierre Siggen
Président du Conseil d’Etat de l’Etat de Fribourg
Directeur des finances
Adrian Brügger
Président du Grand Conseil de l’Etat de Fribourg
Ruth Dreifuss
Ancienne Conseillère fédérale
Joseph Deiss
Ancien Conseiller fédéral
Président de la 65e session de l’Assemblée générale de l’ONU
Alain Berset
Ancien Conseiller fédéral
Sylvie Bonvin-Sansonnens
Conseillère d’Etat de l’Etat de Fribourg
Directrice de la formation et des affaires culturelles
Simone de Montmollin
Présidente de la Commission de la science, de l’éducation et de la culture du Conseil national
Mathilde Crevoisier Crelier
Présidente de la Commission de la science, de l’éducation et de la culture du Conseil aux Etats
Christine Bulliard-Marbach
Conseillère nationale
Valérie Piller Carrard
Conseillère nationale
Pierre-André Page
Conseiller national
Marie-France Roth Pasquier
Conseillère nationale
Gerhard Andrey
Nationalrat
Nadine Gobet
Conseillère nationale
Nicolas Kolly
Conseiller national
Johanna Gapany
Conseillère aux Etats
Isabelle Chassot
Conseillère aux Etats
Carine Bachmann
Directrice de l’Office fédéral de la culture
Katharina M. Fromm
Rectrice de l’Université de Fribourg
Lise-Marie Graden
Préfète du district de la Sarine
René Schneuwly
Président du Comité de l’agglomération de Fribourg
Thierry Steiert
Syndic de la Ville de Fribourg
Sonja Gerber
Présidente du Conseil général de la ville de Fribourg
Laurent Dietrich
Vice-syndic de la ville de Fribourg
Directeur de la culture
Philippe Trinchan
Chef du Service de la culture de l’Etat de Fribourg
Juan Diaz
Chef du Service de la culture de la ville de Fribourg
Gérard Ruey
Président de la Commission fédérale du cinéma
Matthias Aebischer
Präsident Cinésuisse
Maurice Ropraz
Président de la Commission cantonale de la Loterie Romande
Gilles Marchand
Directeur général SRG SSR
Pascal Crittin
Directeur RTS - Radio Télévision Suisse
François Mauron
Rédacteur en chef La Liberté
Frédéric Maire
Directeur de la Cinémathèque suisse
Catherine Müehlemann
Präsidentin von Swiss Films
Valentin Blank
Direktor Suissimage
Stéphane Morey
Secrétaire général Cinéforom
Esther Widmer
Geschäftsführerin « Conférence des Festivals »
Facts and figures
Here are a few statistics from FIFF 2023:
| Total audience | 45 673 |
| Total films | 99 |
| Feature films in competition | 12 |
| Short films in competition | 15 |
| Total screenings | 277 |
| Total audience at school screenings | 11 373 |
You can find more insights in French and German in the yearly reports (open in PDF):
Report 2022/2023
Report 2021/2022
Report 2020/2021
Report 2019/2020
Report 2018/2019
Report 2017/2018
Report 2016/2017
Report 2015/2016
Report 2014/2015
Report 2013/2014
Report 2012/2013
FIFF is member of...
Association Ancienne Gare
Association K / Verein C
Chambre du commerce et de l’industrie du Canton de Fribourg
Coopérative Maison des artistes
Cinéducation
Conférence des festivals
Final Cut Venice
Fribourg Films.
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