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LUX PRIZE AND 27 TIMES CINEMA AT VENICE DAYS, ACT TWO
26/07/2011
For the second year running, the Venice International Film Festival and Venice Days section will be screening the three finalists for the LUX Film Prize (www.luxprize.eu). The prize is awarded by the European Parliament to films made in Europe in 2010-2011 and screened at prestigious international festivals from Venice to Cannes.
All three films examine issues of European interest with originality and great sensitivity in the best tradition of previous editions of the LUX Prize, shedding new light on integration and youth, crises and solidarity, family relationships, the rules under which we live and the rules that drive our heart. The three finalists are as follows: Greek title ATTENBERG by Athina Rachel Tsangari (Venice, Official Selection 2010), French title LES NEIGES DU KILIMANDJARO by Robert Guédiguian (Cannes, Official Selection 2011), and Swedish/French/Danish co-production PLAY by Ruben Östlund (Cannes, Directors’ Fortnight 2011).
Present at the announcement of the three finalists at the Venice Days press conference today was MEP Silvia Costa, member of the Committee on Culture at the European Parliament, who will be in Venice for this initiative.
The three titles will be screened at the Venice Film Festival with the directors in attendance and will be part of a shortlist of 10 titles which make up the Official Selection of the LUX Prize 2011.
The ten titles in competition were:
A TORINÓI LÓI, by Bela Tarr (Hungary, France, Sweden and Germany)
ATTENBERG by Athina Rachel Tsangari (Greece)
ESSENTIAL KILLING by Jerzy Skolimowski (Poland, Norway, Ireland and Hungary)
HABEMUS PAPAM by Nanni Moretti (Italy, France)
LE HAVRE by Aki Kaurismäki (Finland, France, Germany)
LES NEIGES DU KILIMANDJARO by Robert Guédiguian (France)
MORGEN by Marian Crisan (France, Romania, Hungary)
MISTÉRIOS DE LISBOA by Raúl Ruiz (Portugal)
PINA by Wim Wenders (Germany, France, UK)
PLAY by Ruben Östlund (Sweden, France, Denmark)
Established in 2007 the LUX Prize is a tangible symbol of the European Parliament’s commitment to the European film industry. The LUX Prize annually casts a spotlight on three films in Competition that reflect the richness and diversity of the European cultural landscape as well as the creative excellence of European cinema. The LUX Prize supports European cinema in the deep conviction that, as a mass cultural medium, it is an emotional and powerful vehicle for sparking debate and reflection on Europe, its values and its future. The LUX Prize focuses on distribution by covering the cost of subtitling the winning film into the 23 official languages of the European Union (EU), including the adaptation of the original version for hearing or visually impaired people, and supplying a digital cinema package or a 35 mm print in the 27 EU’s member states.
The LUX Prize winners have been AUF DER ANDEREN SEITE by Fatih Akin (2007), LE SILENCE DE LORNA by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne (2008), WELCOME by Philippe Lioret (2009) and DIE FREMDE by Feo Aladag (2010).
After the screenings at Venice, LUX Prize 2011 forthcoming important dates and events: 11/10-10/11: Screening of the three competing films within the European Parliament’s premises and vote by the Members of the European Parliament 16/11: Unveiling of the LUX Prize 2011 winner (Strasbourg, award ceremony).
The LUX Prize, Venice Days and Europa Cinemas are not content with the finalists alone; they are also setting up a real film laboratory called ‘27 Times Cinema’, involving the participation of 27 young people from across the European Union. Europa Cinemas and Venice Days have selected 27 young people aged 18-25 from each Member State through the cinemas belonging to the Europa Cinemas network.
The LUX Prize is committed to this initiative by giving young people a chance to stay in Venice during the festival, to attend screenings and discuss not only the films themselves, but the themes they deal with, to question the small and big narratives which our films tell and which make us feel more or less European.
“I am very proud to support for the second year ‘27 Times Cinema’, consisting in inviting 27 young cinema lovers from all the Member States at the Venice Days and the Venice Film Festival.
As for the last year, those 27 young women and men, will enjoy an every day experience made of discussions, chats and meetings with directors, films professional, journalists, and also Members of the European Parliament. These young film lovers will learn a bit more about the meaning of being Europeans, sharing their point of views, crossing their histories and their emotions. I felicitate these young film lovers, and felicitate Venice Days and Europa Cinemas to contribute the setting up of this beautiful European journey throughout Cinema,” says Doris Pack, Chairperson of the Committee on Culture and Education of the European Parliament.
“We at Europa Cinemas are delighted to have been able to make this exciting initiative a reality again this year. One of our key aims is to foster initiatives aimed at encouraging younger audiences to develop their interest in European films and cultural diversity. The process of choosing these 27 young cinephiles through our Cinema network is a very effective way of establishing a direct link between the young audience from around Europe and a key film festival such as Venice, and encouraging a direct communication between film-makers and their audience,” adds Fatima Djoumer, Director of International Relations, Europa Cinemas.
This is what the directors of the three finalists have had to say:
“Marina is left with nothing, in the end of ATTENBERG. So, in a way, she is set free. She is free to start all over again, from nothing. I wrote ATTENBERG during the first riots in Athens, in December 2008. Unconsciously, some of the desperation, alienation and sense of betrayal that had poured out in the streets, snuck into the film. Three years later, in the midst of my country’s controversial collapse within the European Union, it is a big surprise and a great honour to be nominated for the LUX Prize. I think now, more than ever, making cinema in Greece goes beyond making art. It is an act of political, social, and m oral survival.” (Athina Rachel Tsangari)
“In my eyes, one of the most serious issues in today’s society is there is no longer any class consciousness. In the sense that you can no longer even say ‘working class’; this is why I speak about ‘poor people’. Yet, the actual awareness of being “poor people,” doesn’t exist. There aren’t two types of populations, one being a native, employed, unionized home owner... and the other being an unemployed immigrant, delinquent, from inner cities or poor suburbs. Politics and cinema can work to unmask this intellectual deception – and my mind will never be changed on this question: therein lies the essential.” (Robert Guédiguian)
“PLAY deals with the type of events currently taking place throughout Europe. Events that we have difficulty processing and thus tend to avoid. One reaction I’ve often encountered is when journalists assure me that they understand what PLAY is all about, but they’re afraid others may misinterpret the film. Shying away from the controversial aspects of events like these, either out of fear or kind-hearted concern, will only preserve and possibly fortify the fundamental problem. The LUX Prize nomination, which involves screening this film for the Members of the European Parliament, is a truly significant development. Hopefully their reaction to PLAY will pose a problem and prompt them to rise to that challenge.” (Ruben Östlund)
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