On the occasion of celebrating the 10th edition of The EDN Award, the 2014 honour is presented to Tue Steen Müller. He receives the award for a lifelong commitment to the documentary genre and for personally contributing to the outstanding development of the European documentary culture.

The EDN Award has mostly been presented in connection with a specific initiative or event. But in connection with the 10th edition of The EDN Award, the honour is presented to recognise a personal lifelong contribution to the documentary culture.

Upon the presentation of the EDN Award, EDN Film Consultant Ove Rishøj Jensen stated: This year we present the EDN Award for a strong personal and life long commitment to the documentary genre. This year we present the award to a person for just being himself. Even though if for some might feel that the EDN Award this year lands a little too close to home, it feels even more strange not to acknowledge this lifelong commitment to documentary and an outstanding contribution to the European documentary culture with the EDN Award.

Tue Steen Müller is a prominent and a well-known expert in the world of documentary. From 1975-1996 he was working at the National Film Board of Denmark as press secretary, distributor, festival manager, film consultant and spin doctor for various directors of the organisation. He was part of the team behind the Balticum Film/TV Festival on Bornholm, Denmark 1990-2000 as well as the set-up of Filmkontakt Nord, Documentary and EDN - European Documentary Network, of which he was the first director in 1996-2005. Müller received the highest Danish documentary recognition, the Roos Award, for his contribution to Danish documentary in 2005. Since 2006 he has been a freelance consultant and teacher in documentary matters all over the world.

Tue Steen Müllers commitment to help, encourage and mentor both newcomers and more experienced documentary professionals has over the years benefitted a long list of documentary makers. His input and opinions have helped shape many aspects of the European documentary landscape, being everything from single documentaries, structures for funding to ways of getting films out to a larger audience.

The award recipient was announced at The EDN Award ceremony held on March 21st during the EDN workshop Docs in Thessaloniki. The workshop is held in the framework of the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival – Images of the 21st Century.

About The EDN Award

The EDN Award is presented annually during Docs in Thessaloniki to an institution, group or private person for outstanding contribution to the development of the European documentary culture. Previously The EDN Award has been presented to:

2013 – Stefano Tealdi and Joan Gonzales for initiating and running Documentary in Europe and DocsBarcelona; respectively.

2012 - Diana El Jeiroudi, Orwa Nyrabia and The DOX BOX Team for initiating the DOX BOX festival in Syria.

2011 - Dimitri Eipides: Director of the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival

2010 - IRDFA - Iranian Documentary Filmmakers Association: Directors’ guild in Iran focusing on documentary filmmakers

2009 - Nenad Puhovski and Zagreb Dox: For initiating Zagreb Dox in Croatia.

2008 - IDF – Institute of Documentary Film: Prague based institute promoting documentary films from East- and Central Europe

2007 - Svetlana and Zoran Popovic: For initiating and running Magnificent 7 in Belgrade, Serbia

2006 - The Jan Vrijman Fund: Dutch film fund supporting filmmakers and festivals in developing countries.

2005 - YLE Documentary: The documentary department of YLE, the national public service broadcaster in Finland.

 About EDN 

EDN - European Documentary Network is stimulating networks & knowledge within the documentary sector. EDN provides documentary consulting and informs about possibilities for funding, financing, development, co-production, distribution and collaboration across borders. This is done via individual consultancy to members on documentary projects, activities like workshops, seminars and conferences as well as through the two indispensable publications DOX magazine and The EDN Financing Guide. EDN started in September 1996 and now over 1000 members from more than 60 countries have joined EDN. The organization is open for both newcomers and established filmmakers. Read more about EDN at - http://www.edn.dk/edn/