Paul Pauwels, Teacher / Moderator & Director EDN, Denmark

Jean Paul Pauwels has been the Director of the European Documentary Network since May 2013. He has been working in the world of audiovisual production as unit manager, production manager, producer, commissioning editor (TV), head of a media training institute and finally as the director of an international professional organisation. He studied at the RITCS film school in Brussels where - in 1979 - he got his degree as director and producer. He worked in feature film production until 1987, when he founded his own production unit: Periscope Productions. The company produced commercials, short feature films and prize-winning documentaries. In 2005, he left Periscope Productions NV to become programme manager at the Flemish Public Broadcaster VRT/CANVAS. Between 2007 and 2011 he was the creator and later the director of the “European Television and Media Management Academy” in Strasbourg, France. He has shared his knowledge as an active documentary producer with several organizations. Amongst them are – Documentary Campus (Germany), the European Documentary Network (Denmark) Greenhouse (Israel), Balkan documentary Center (Bulgaria), International documentary institute (Czech Republic), DocedgeKolkata (India) and Documentary in Europe (Italy). He has been lecturing and tutoring internationally. He has also been moderating pitching sessions all over Europe, including the renowned Forum in Amsterdam. Today, he is a member of the General Assembly of the Flemish Film Fund (VAF) for whom he also acts as an expert reader for documentary projects. He is teaching at the Media and Design faculty in Genk, Belgium and is a guest lecturer in the RITCS film school in Brussels.