World cinema has lost one of its staunchest supporters with the untimely death of Dutch producer and sales agent Wouter Barendrecht last Sunday at the age of 43.

In 1990, Barendrecht co-founded Fortissimo Films, the enterprising company which backed a wide range of international independent productions and introduced western audiences to the work of Asian directors such as Wong Kar-wai, who became a close friend.

A bright, charming man, Wouter made many other friends on the film festival circuit, where he was a popular host equally at ease with organising elegant soirees as with the exuberant Eurovision Song Contest parties he held at Cannes.