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The first festival -- then called 'Film International' -- was organized in June 1972 under the inspired leadership of Hubert Bals . From the beginning, the festival has profiled itself as a promotor of alternative, innovative and non-commercial films, with an emphasis on the Far East and developing countries. Despite financial difficulties in the mid-1980s, the festival has grown steadily, reaching 345,000 visitors in 2001.
After the festival founder's sudden death in 1988, a fund was initiated and named after him ( Hubert Bals fund ), used for supporting filmmakers from developing countries.
The non-competitive character of the festival changed in 1995, when the VPRO Tiger Awards were introduced -- three yearly prizes for young filmmakers making their first or second film. The next year, Simon Field , formerly related to the London Institute for Contemporary Art , became director of the festival.