To whom it might concern,

We are a team of three journalists/videomakers who are working on an investigative documentary project called TOXIC EUROPE. We want to uncover and show the business logic and the dangers poised by the Italian
organised crime (Camorra and ‘Ndrangheta)’s illegal hazardous waste trafficking
in Europe. The documentary will be filmed in the first semester of 2011 in
Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg and maybe Romania.

We have already been guaranteed a € 2.000 grant by the FLARE network, Premio Giornalistico Televisivo Ilaria Alpi and Novaya Gazeta after our project was selected to enter the competition for the “‘Ilaria Alpi’
Television Journalism Award - Best international organised crime report
2011”. 

Even though we will not require outside help for the filming of the documentary, the above mentioned grant will not cover all expenses related to its making. With trip expenses, including travel and accommodation,
and the time needed for the research (including database research and
off-camera interviews), we need to secure at least € 6.000 to make it a
success.

We were planning on applying for funding to the European Parliament which was in the process of setting up an EU-wide investigative journalism fund. Unfortunately, we learned a few days ago that the fund was
withdrawn with no possibility of appeal for the year 2011. Our project needs to
be handed over to the FLARE network on 6 May 2011, which means we urgently need
to find donors and co-producers.

This is the reason why we would like to ask you for a co-funding of the project. By financing the project, you actively support investigative journalism which is seriously needed to support democracy in all
EU member states, especially those where freedom of expression and the media
are threatened.

The aim of the documentary is to have an international audience. Camorra and ‘Ndrangheta, even though they have solid roots in Italy, spread their web of influence over the whole European continent. Our
documentary can thus be of interest to a wide European audience. We already
know for sure that it will be shown at the Film Festival of the Premio
Giornalistico Televisivo Ilaria Alpi in Riccione in June 2011.

Hoping our enquiry will raise your interest,

Faithfully yours,

Cecilia Anesi, Giulio Rubino and Delphine Reuter

For more information on the project please take a look at this online packet: Reuter-Rubino-Anesi%20FLARE-ALPI%20Award%202010%20subscription%20form.pdf.