The association of Danish Film Directors was founded in 1956 and is after more than 60 years stronger than ever. The association handles Danish film directors’ rights and negotiates agreements for more than 500 members.

Danish Film Directors started out as an interest group that aimed to take part in the public debate about film policy issues. The association had a seat on the Danish Film Institute’s board, and from the 1970’s it took part in negotiating collective bargaining agreements on behalf of its members.

In 1990 the general assembly decided that Danish Film Directors should develop into an actual union and fight more actively to improve film directors’ working conditions and rights. This happened after a period where the conditions for film directors in Denmark had worsened, artistically and financially.

Since then, the association has developed into a strong union with great expertise in handling Danish film directors’ rights and working conditions. Danish Film Directors take part in the public debate on film issues and we are known to engage in important court proceedings if the directors’ rights are violated.

Internationally, Danish Film Directors are member of SNF (the Nordic Film Directors’ Association), FERA (Federation Européene des Réalisateurs de L´Audiovisuel) – represented by Birgitte Stærmose – and AIDAA (Association Internationale des Auteurs de L´Audiovisuel).

The association has well over 500 members today, who work in different fields such as animation, art film, TV programmes and feature films. In the daily work the members are represented by an executive committee consisting of eight members and presently, our chairwoman is the film director Christina Rosendahl.

In addition to negotiating member contracts for each film production, we also handle the funds derived from the secondary use of our members’ films through cable re-transmission, blank tape levy and the like. We host a large number of member events each year and publish the film directors’ magazine TAKE four times a year.

Contact Danish Film Directors:
Phone: +45 33 33 08 88
Email: mail@filmdir.dk