Film Resource Unit (FRU) was an independent film distributor and promoter of

African cinema Cinema of Africa covers both the History of film, history and present of the Filmmaking, making or screening of films on the African continent, and also refers to the persons involved in this form of audiovisual culture. It dates back to the ear ...

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and Xhosa language, Xhosa: eGoli ) (colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, Jo'burg or "The City of Gold") is the most populous city in South Africa. With 5,538,596 people in the City of Johannesburg alon ...

, South Africa, from 1986 to 2008. FRU was founded in 1986. In course of the years it became a worldwide distributor of African films.Ruigrok, Ing
''Film Resource Unit''
The Power of Culture Next to its function as a film distributor, the FRU also took up a role in society. During the

apartheid Apartheid ( , especially South African English: , ; , ) was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. It was characterised by an ...

years, it showed films that were forbidden by the white authorities. It also showed films and gave workshops in areas where there was a lack of audio-visual media, often choosing subjects of social value, such as

domestic violence Domestic violence is violence that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes r ...

and

HIV/AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...

. The organization set up video resource centers where videos could be bought, rented, and viewed. It also introduced a marketing and film training program for unemployed South Africans, whose films were shown at film festivals organized by the FRU. Film Resource United was honoured with a

Prince Claus Award The Prince Claus Fund was established in 1996 and named after Prince Claus of the Netherlands. It is annually subsidized by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since 1997, the Fund has annually presented the international Prince Claus Awa ...

from the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

in 2000, for its extensive development into a company that was active on a wide range of social development areas. In June 2007, in response to a threatened liquidation and closure of FRU, the

Pan African Federation of Filmmakers The Pan African Federation of Filmmakers (Fédération Panafricaine des Cinéastes or FEPACI) is an organisation representing filmmakers from the continent of Africa, founded in 1970. History The Pan African Federation of Filmmakers (French: ''F� ...

(FEPACI) called for an investigation. According to FEPACI's statement, the FRU is not only a major distributor of African films, but also "a political, ideological platform that creates a sense of pride and resonance that Africa can stand by itself and can initiate, own and control instruments of change and transformation". The organization declared insolvency in 2007 and was formally shut down in 2008.

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* (Last version, archived December 2008) Mass media companies established in 1986 Mass media companies disestablished in 2008 South African companies established in 1986 Culture of Johannesburg Film distributors Organisations based in Johannesburg Defunct organisations based in South Africa {{film-company-stub