On Monday February 1, Renzo Martens received the CultuurPrijzen Vlaanderen 2009 in the category Film. Joke Schauvliege (Minister of Culture) offered Martens an Award and 12.500 Euro's for his documentary Episode 3 – Enjoy Poverty.

Each year the Vlaamse CultuurPrijzen are hand out to those who made an outstanding contribution to the cultural life of Flanders in the previous year. In eleven categories, varying from Architecture, Theatre and Film to Visual Art and Writing, each time three organisations of persons were nominated. Nominees in the category Film were besides the winner Episode 3 – Enjoy Poverty (Renzo Martens), also CINEMATEK and (N)iemand (Patrick Toye).

Episode 3 – Enjoy Poverty was presented in Stedelijk Museum Bureau Amsterdam from November 21, 2008 through January 4, 2009. Besides the screening of the documentary a conversation took place at SMBA between Martens and Mark Nash (working at the Royal College of Art, London) about the use of cinematic strategies in the visual arts.

Click here for more information about the exhibition Renzo Martens – Episode 3 held at SMBA.