Privacy
Flanders Image is part of the Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF). VAF respects the privacy of all users and ensures that the personal information you provide us with is treated confidentially.
Last update: 1 August 2025
1. Your privacy is important
Your privacy is important to us. We want to process your personal data in an honest, lawful, correct and transparent manner. In this document, our privacy policy, we explain how the processing takes place and what personal data is involved. The term “processing” includes, among other things, collecting, recording, organising, storing, updating, modifying, retrieving, consulting, using, disseminating or making available in any way, bringing together, combining, archiving, erasing or ultimately destroying.
We are referring here to you as a user of our services, our supplier of services and products, or a person involved in an organisation that is in contact with us.
1.1. Introduction
We recommend you read this document carefully so that you know why and for what purpose we process your personal data. It also explains your rights and how you can exercise them. We also explain what personal data we process when you:
- use our services
- ask questions via our website
- visit our company, trade fairs and events
- hand in your business card
We may amend our privacy policy. The most recent version can be found on the website www.vaf.be. We recommend that you consult our privacy policy regularly to stay informed of any changes.
If you would like more information about privacy legislation in Belgium, please visit the website www.gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit.be.
1.2. Who processes your data? Who are we?
Flanders Audiovisual Fund (abbreviated to VAF), with its registered office at Bischoffsheimlaan 38, 1000 Brussels, and Belgian company number 0475.795.886, is responsible for processing your personal data.
1.3. How can you contact us?
If you have any questions about your privacy or wish to exercise your rights, you can contact us at the above address or via the email address privacy@vaf.be.
1.4. The lead supervisory authority for VAF
The Belgian supervisory authority is the lead authority for VAF: Data Protection Authority, Drukpersstraat 35, 1000 Brussels, +32 2 274 48 00, contact@apd-gba.be.
2. Your right to privacy
Your rights will be implemented in our systems and procedures no later than 30 days after we have received your request. If, for any reason, this deadline cannot be met, we will inform you before the original period expires.
2.1. You may access your personal data
You have the right to access the personal data we process about you, the purpose of the processing, where we obtained the data and who receives the data.
In this case, you can also find out how long we store the data, whether the data is used for automated decision-making and whether we intend to transfer the data to a country outside the European Union.
2.2. You can have your data corrected/completed
It may happen that the data we process about you is no longer correct. You can always request that the incorrect data be corrected or completed with the missing data.
2.3. Right to erasure
If you believe that we are processing personal data unlawfully, you can request that this personal data be erased.
This request to erase personal data may be refused by VAF if justified. Examples include exercising or substantiating a legal claim or due to a legal obligation to retain certain data.
2.4. Right to restrict personal data
You can ask us to restrict the processing of your personal data if you suspect that the data is incorrect, the processing is unlawful, or if you do not agree that we process the data under our legitimate interest (see Article 3.3). We will comply with this objection unless there are compelling reasons not to do so, for example to prevent fraud.
2.5. Right to object
You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data, including profiling. The processing will then be stopped, unless the processing is necessary for compliance with social and tax legislation, to represent the interests of a third party or for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.
2.6. Right to data portability
You can contact us to request that the personal data you have provided to us be transferred to a third party.
2.7. Right to file a complaint
If you disagree with our position, you can contact the Belgian Data Protection Authority. You can also lodge a complaint there. The contact details can be found above in point 1.4.
2.8. Identification of the applicant
You can request the exercise of your rights regarding the processing of your personal data in writing by letter to Bischoffsheimlaan 38, 1000 Brussels, or by email to privacy@vaf.be.
Please be as specific as possible in your request so that we can process it correctly.
To prevent anyone else from exercising your rights, we want to verify your identity as accurately as possible. Therefore, the request must always be accompanied by a document proving that the identity of the applicant corresponds to your identity. You can do this by attaching a copy of your identity card to the request. Please black out your passport photo and identity card number etc. to protect your privacy.
If we consider that the document provided does not provide sufficient proof, we will inform you. We reserve the right not to respond to the request until sufficient proof is provided.
3. Why do we want to process your personal data?
3.1. VAF must comply with legal obligations
In some cases, we are legally obliged to process your personal data. Here we list the most important ones:
- tax law
- commercial law
- subsidy legislation
- economic law
- GDPR when processing a request for the exercise of your rights
3.2. VAF must be able to perform its contract with you
As a filmmaker, exhibitor, distributor, producer, student, etc., you use our services. In order to guarantee the correct performance of the relevant agreement, we must process and manage these contracts administratively, financially and operationally.
This also applies if you provide a coaching session on our behalf, act as a jury or committee member, etc., and in the broader sense are our supplier. In that case too, we must respect the contract and process and manage these contracts administratively, financially and operationally.
When you visit our website, we agree to always provide you with a properly functioning website. To this end, we place so-called functional cookies.
3.3. VAF has a broad communication mission – our legitimate interest
VAF sends out a monthly newsletter to those who have subscribed to it. If you would like to receive it, you can subscribe here: www.vaf.be/nieuwsbrief. Once you have subscribed, you can also indicate your preferences in your profile.
We regularly send informative emails to individuals who belong to a specific target group of VAF, such as screenwriters, producers, exhibitors, film school graduates, etc. The content of these newsletters is tailored to each target group separately.
In addition, Flanders Image sends separate newsletters focused on your professional activity. You must explicitly subscribe to this via www.flandersimage.com/newsletter. Both mailing lists are managed separately. If you subscribe or unsubscribe to one mailing list, this has no impact on the other.
In addition, we occasionally send communications to people who may be interested in the services of VAF, as we believe that the recipient will benefit from this communication: training courses, receiving subsidies, information sessions, invitations to industry events, etc.
In doing so, we ensure that there is a good balance between your right to privacy and our legitimate interests. If you still have objections to the processing under this basis, you can object to this processing.
You will receive the information by email. If you no longer wish to receive our communications, simply let us know and we will no longer bother you.
3.4. VAF requests your consent
By subscribing to our newsletter, you implicitly consent to receiving information about our services. Each newsletter always includes an option to unsubscribe.
When you visit our website for the first time, we ask for your consent to place our analytical and marketing cookies via our cookie banner. More information about our cookie policy can be found here.
You can withdraw your consent at any time. Our contact details can be found in section 2.8.
3.5. VAF can grant targeted access to professionals
In addition to our public section, we also offer various services for professionals in the sector. To access these, you must first create a professional profile. A member of staff will review your registration and either approve or reject it. Based on the information provided, you will be granted access to certain or all professional sections of this and/or other platforms offered by Flanders Image. With an approved profile, you can log in to these platforms via a central login system (“single sign-on”).
You can also use your profile to view or change the data we have stored during your registration. You can read more about your rights as a data subject in section 2.
VAF may change, restrict or extend your access at any time.
4. What personal data do we process about you and for what purposes?
4.1. From suppliers
VAF processes the personal data of data subjects who work for companies with which it does business. The purpose of this processing is to maintain business relationships.
In order to contact and identify you for our supplier management purposes, we process the following data: name, telephone number, mobile phone number, language, email address, name of your employer, VAT number, IP address and cookies.
4.2. From creators, exhibitors, distributors, producers, students
In order to identify you and communicate with you, we process the following personal data: surname, first name, address, telephone number, mobile phone number, email address (private and/or professional), bank account number, professional experience, curriculum vitae details, IP address, cookies.
4.3. From applicants
This point applies to the collection and processing of your personal data when you apply for a position at VAF.
We only process relevant personal data that is necessary to assess your application and communicate with you: your name, personal contact details (e.g. address, telephone number and email address), your CV and information about your education and your professional and other experience. If relevant to the vacancy, we may also process personal data in the context of personality tests and/or references. We retain your data for 12 months after submission.
4.4. Cookies
VAF uses cookies when you visit its websites. These are small information files that are stored on the device you use to visit our website, such as a computer, tablet or smartphone. When we refer to ‘cookies’ below, we also mean other similar technologies. Cookies make it possible to recognise your web browser. This is useful because it means you don't have to keep re-entering your details, specifying your preferences or adjusting your settings. It also allows us to improve the functioning of our website, gain insight into visitor behaviour on the website and enable other parties to learn about your surfing behaviour so that they can display personalised advertisements.
Cookies do not compromise the security of your computer.
We use essential, functional, analytical and marketing cookies. With the exception of essential and functional cookies (necessary for the proper functioning of our website), we ask for your consent before placing these small information files. More information about which cookies we use, how long we store them and how you can manage them can be found in our cookie policy.
4.5. Images from surveillance cameras are stored temporarily
We may use cameras in and around our buildings. When it comes to surveillance cameras, we comply with the legal regulations. Buildings under camera surveillance are marked with a clearly visible sticker.
Image recordings are stored for a maximum of 30 days.
Exceptions to this are:
- if the recorded images are useful for providing evidence of a crime or nuisance
- to prove damage
- to identify a perpetrator, witness or victim
The processing is carried out in our legitimate interest to protect our buildings and other property against, for example, burglary, damage, etc.
5. About sharing and storing your personal data
5.1. Who do we share your personal data with?
We only share your data with persons who have been expressly authorised by us and who need this data to perform their duties.
We use various processors to process personal data. These are our subcontractors who process personal data on our behalf. VAF only works with processors who guarantee the same technical and organisational security measures.
Your data may be transferred to countries outside the European Union, specifically when we work with Meta, Google, X and LinkedIn. In such cases, we will ensure that the processing of personal data is always adequately protected in accordance with specific contractual obligations and in accordance with the obligations of privacy legislation.
We will only share your data if we are required to do so by law or government order.
5.2. VAF will not disclose your personal data to third parties
We will not sell, rent, distribute or otherwise make your personal data commercially available to third parties, unless we have your prior consent.
5.3. We do not store your personal data indefinitely
VAF uses your personal data for a specific purpose. Once this purpose has been achieved, the data is deleted.
The starting point for retaining your personal data is the statutory retention period.
We retain the personal data of applicants who are not recruited for up to one year after the selection procedure has been completed.