The association Les Amis de Cinéma du Réel was created in 1984 under Joris Ivens honorary presidency. It helps the Bibliothèque publique d’information organizing the festival.

The association is supported and subsidized by the National Film Board, the Ministry of Culture and Communication (Direction Générale des Médias et des Industries Culturelles, Direction Générale des Patrimoines), The Conseil Régional d’Île-de-France, Paris Townhall, The Institut français, INA, CGET, the Procirep TV Committee, Scam,  Sacem and CNAP.

It is active through a network of French and foreign correspondents.

Members of honnor: Margot Benacerraf, Freddy Buache, Pankaj Butalia, Danielle Chantereau, Bob Connolly, Judit Elek, Suzette Glénadel,  Helena Koder, Michel Melot, Marie-Christine de Navacelle, Pedro Pimenta, Yolande Simard-Perrault, Mario Simondi, Frederick Wiseman, Colin Young.

Chairman: Julie Paratian

In 1978, the 3rd Rencontres internationales du cinéma direct “Human looks at human”, launched by the magazine IMPACT, were held at the Centre Pompidou.

In 1979, the Bibliothèque publique d’information created Cinéma du réel, international festival of ethnographic and sociological films at the Centre Pompidou, supported by the C.N.R.S. (French national center for research) and by the “Comité du film ethnographique” (Ethnographic film committee), in order to promote the documentary cinema.

The festival is organized by the Bibliothèque publique d’information (Public information library) together with the association Les Amis du Cinéma du réel (Friends of the Cinéma du réel), founded in 1984.