On July 19th 2011, the  U.S. Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina and KVK Amater Široki Brijeg will sponsor a free workshop on the topic “Documentary Film Development”.  American documentary film expert Sandra Ruch  will talk about topic selection, film financing, and the role of film festivals, among other topics.  Ms. Ruch is a documentary film producer and consultant. She regularly serves on juries and expert panels at film festivals and conferences around the world. Ms. Ruch is Director Emeritus of the International Documentary Association, where she served as Executive Director and Publisher of Documentary magazine from 2001 to 2008. Ms. Ruch enjoyed a wide range of responsibilities, including initiating the first IDA Pare Lorentz Film Festival. Prior to I.D.A., Ms. Ruch was President of Marketing for New Line Cinema, Sr. Vice President for Cinergi Pictures, and, for 12 years, served as Manager of Cultural Programs for Mobil Oil Corporation where she supervised the Mobil/PBS television series, Masterpiece Theater as well as MYSTERY! In 2008, she started Cinelixir - a full service company devoted to advising independent documentary filmmakers on development, marketing and distribution, as well as festival and outreach strategies. Ms. Ruch is visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina through the American Documentary Showcase, an international cultural exchange program of the U.S. Department of State. This  free workshop will take place in Široki Brijeg and is open to all interested parties. For more information, e-mail:topic@mff.ba