THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT FILM PRIZE: 3 FILMS TO COMPETE FOR THE LUX PRIZE 2012

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1 Press release THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT FILM PRIZE: 3 FILMS TO COMPETE FOR THE LUX PRIZE 2012 Rome, 24 July 2012 Today within the framework of the 9th edition of the Venice Days (Giornate degli Autori) section of the Venice International Film Festival, the European Parliament unveiled the three films of the LUX Prize 2012 Competition: Csak a szél (Just the Wind) by Bence Fliegauf - Hungary, Germany, France Io sono Li (Shun Li and the Poet) by Andrea Segre - Italy, France Tabu by Miguel Gomes - Portugal, Germany, France, Brazil

2 The Venice Days, for its 9th edition, uses the formula nine as a multiple of three. This simple formula perfectly fits with what we have presented today. 3X3: three films and three years of partnership For the third year of partnership with the Venice Days (Giornate degli Autori), the European Parliament is proud to present three feature films that relate sensitive issues depicted with original approaches. The films in Competition for the LUX Prize 2012 bring a very intense and lyrical insight into diverse themes never far from the tradition of previous editions of the LUX Prize. 27x3: 27 Times Cinema in its third edition The three films will be presented to the 27 young cinema lovers participating in the third edition of 27 Times Cinema during the Venice Days. Conceived together with the Venice Days and Europa Cinemas, the 27 Times Cinema project consists of 27 young film lovers, who represent each of the 27 EU member states. Hosted in Venice for the duration of the Festival with the support of the LUX Prize, these 27 viewers aged from 18 to 25 attend the screenings and participate in debates inspired by the topics of the films from the Venice Days and, more broadly, from European cinema. The meetings involve directors, authors, film professionals and Members of the European Parliament. Every day, a blog and a recording of the meeting are published by the official media partner Cineuropa.org. For the third year in a row, we invite to Venice 27 young filmgoers selected by the exhibitors of our network. This initiative, set up in partnership with the European Parliament, the LUX Prize and the Venice Days, raises great interest and enthusiasm from participants who are not only discovering the presented films, but are also becoming film critics on social networks. Such an experience improves their knowledge and develops their taste for European cinema, leading sometimes to job opportunities in the cinema industry! They come from 27 European countries and they are the concrete representation of the diversity and vitality of the Europa Cinemas network - which celebrates its 20th anniversary - and we are very pleased that the younger generations of film lovers discover the best of European cinema in our theatres. Claude-Eric Poiroux, General Director of Europa Cinemas

3 6 x LUX In its sixth edition, the LUX Prize reflects the European Parliament s initiative to support cultural and linguistic diversity and the belief that it can serve as a bridge among Europeans. It becomes a source of inspiration for debates on Europe, its values and contradictions, and its future. The LUX Prize is a tangible symbol of the European Parliament s commitment to the European film industry and its creative endeavors. It pursues two main objectives: spotlighting the public debate on the European Union (EU) project and values and supporting circulation of European productions within the Union. Three is the magic number of the 9th edition of the Giornate degli Autori: and including 2012, three is exactly the number of LUX Prize editions that we have hosted. Over time, the Casa degli Autori at the Lido has become the House of Europe: both a meeting place for young film buffs debating within the framework of 27 Times Cinema and a space for art cinema in Europe, supported by the presence of the European Parliament, which has become an irreplaceable pillar. Alongside the celebration of what we can proudly define as a tradition, we are today very proud to welcome back to the Giornate degli Autori Andrea Segre, who is back as a finalist in the LUX Prize competition after having shown exactly one year ago his first feature in our contest. Roberto Barzanti, President of Giornate degli Autori 3x23x27 the LUX FILM DAYS Today, by launching the third edition of 27 Times Cinema and unveiling the three films competing for the LUX Prize 2012, we untie the mooring lines of a vessel which will navigate throughout the European Union. Starting in Venice, these 3 films will travel through the 27 Member States as part of the first LUX FILM DAYS. We strongly believe that the stories told by European Cinema will aid understanding between European citizens, from the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean. In these troubled times, better mutual understanding between nations and citizens is increasingly important. This is why sharing the same cultural event and discussion of common issues could be a way to build bridges between people. Doris Pack, Chairwoman of the Committee on Culture and Education of the European Parliament It will be a challenge: the three films of the LUX Prize Competition subtitled in the 23 official EU languages will be screened in the 27 Member States during the first edition of the LUX FILM DAYS.

4 From the beginning of October to 20 November, the European Parliament and its LUX Prize want to invite the largest number of Europeans possible to experience a common journey to discover the diversity and richness of European cinema and also to debate the topics raised by the films. Through this unity of action, time and place, a temporary European public space is created with a view to inspiring and sharing a sense of common cultural heritage amongst European cinema lovers. 3 to 1 LUX Prize 2012 Award Our cinema is the mirror of a pluralistic Europe, which shows its poetry and difficulties through the sensibility of writers, directors and performers. Increasingly, European films tell our changing societies, the encounters between diverse, new cohabitations, floating between dialogue and misunderstanding. Voting for the LUX Prize is for us Members of the Parliament a preparatory exercise for the important decisions that we will take in the forthcoming months in support of European cinema, and in particular on the Creative Europe program, on which I am rapporteur. I feel the responsibility of being rapporteur, with the aim to defend an important form of expression of our identity. Silvia Costa, member of the Committee on Culture and Education of the European Parliament, Rapporteur for Creative Europe Members of the European Parliament, after watching the films, will vote for one of the three films in Competition. On 21 November the LUX Prize winner will be officially awarded during a formal sitting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg in presence of the filmmakers. In order to enhance bonds with the public audience participating in the LUX FILM DAYS and allow them to express their support for one of the three films, a special Public Audience Mention will also be announced during the LUX Prize Award. In addition to providing the subtitles and a copy (DCP or 35mm) of the three films of the LUX FILM DAYS, the winning film of the LUX Prize will benefit from the adaptation of at least the original language for the hearing and visually impaired and supported with tailored promotion in the Member States through cross-media access. The LUX Prize winners have been Les Neiges du Kilimandjaro by Robert Guédiguian (2011), Die Fremde by Feo Aladag (2010), Welcome by Philippe Lioret (2009), Le silence de Lorna by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne (2008) and Auf der anderen Seite by Fatih Akin (2007).

5 Appendix 1 The Magnificent 3 Csak a szél (Just the Wind) Director: Bence Fliegauf Country: Hungary, Germany, France Year: 2012 Running time: 87 Original languages: Hungarian Cast: Katalin Toldi, Gyöngyi Lendvai, Lajos Sárkány, Györgyi Toldi Synopsis Mari lives with her invalid father and two children in a shack in the woods outside the city. Their living conditions are modest, like their other Romani neighbors. For centuries, their kind has been commonly referred to as gypsies. Recently, more than ever, they must exist stealthily: five entire families in the area have already been murdered, gunned down in their own homes. The Romani community struggles to continue their simple daily routine amid the anxiety of the suspected racially motivated crimes. Mari juggles her two jobs. Teenager Anna tries to concentrate on her schoolwork and sketches. But young Rio is preoccupied with other things. He is getting ready... Inspired by real events.

6 Io sono Li (Shun Li and the Poet) Director: Andrea Segre Country: Italy, France Year: 2011 Running time: 100 Original languages: Italian Cast: Zhao Tao, Rade Serbedzija, Marco Paolini, Roberto Citran, Giuseppe Battiston Synopsis Shun Li works in a textile factory in the outskirts of Rome, in order to get her papers and enable her eight-yearold son to come to Italy. She is suddenly transferred to Chioggia, a small city-island in the Veneto lagoon, to work as a bartender in a pub. Bepi, a Slavic fisherman, nicknamed the Poet by his friends, has been a regular at that little pub for years. The friendship between Shun Li and Bepi upsets both the Chinese and local communities, who interfere with this new voyage, which they are perhaps simply too afraid of.

7 Tabu Director: Miguel Gomes Country: Portugal, Germany, France, Brasil Year: 2012 Running time: 110 Original languages: Portuguese Cast: Teresa Madruga, Laura Soveral, Ana Moreira, Henrique Espírito Santo, Carloto Cotta, Isabel Cardoso, Ivo Müller, Manuel Mesquita Synopsis A temperamental old woman, her Cape Verdean maid and a neighbour devoted to social causes live on the same floor of a Lisbon apartment building. When the old lady dies, the other two learn of an episode from her past: a tale of love and crime set in an Africa straight from the world of adventure films.

8 Appendix 2 The 3 contending films are part of the LUX Prize 2012 Official Selection The three films in Competition are part of the LUX Prize Official Selection which was unveiled at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival on 1 July. It is a panel of cinema professionals appointed yearly by the European Parliament s Committee on Culture and Education which chooses the LUX Prize Official Selection and the Competition. The Honorary President of this year s panel is director and author Radu Mihaileanu; Fatima Djoumer (Europa Cinemas), French producer Marc Bordure, the director of the Sevilla European Film Festival José Luis Cienfuegos, the co-director of the European Film Market at the Berlinale Catherine Buresi, Greek film critic Michel Demopoulos, Belgian distributor Stéphane de Potter (Cinéart), director of the European Film Academy Marion Döring, Polish distributor and co-president of Europa Distribution Jakub Duszynski (Gutek Films), the head of the education department at the Swedish Film Institute Per Ericsson, German film critic Paul Peter Huth, the editor of the British magazine Sight & Sound Nick James, the secretary general of the Director s Fortnight in Cannes Christophe Leparc, the Artistic Director of KVIFF Karel Och, the Bulgarian Deputy Director of Sofia Film Festival Mira Staleva, Italian distributor Georgette Ranucci (Lucky Red) and Hungarian audiovisual expert Éva Vezer. The European Commission (MEDIA) and the Council of Europe (EURIMAGES), sit as observers. CONTACTS: Marisella Rossetti mob luxprize@ep.europa.eu Jindrich Pietras mob luxfilmdays@ep.europa.eu

9 The LUX Prize 2012 Official Selection includes the ten following films: À perdre la raison (Our Children) by Joachim Lafosse (Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland) Djeca (Children of Sarajevo) by Aida Begic (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany, France and Turkey) Barbara by Christian Petzold (Germany) Io sono Li (Shun Li and the Poet) by Andrea Segre (Italy, France) Cesare deve morire (Caesar Must Die) by Paolo and Vittorio Taviani (Italy) L enfant d en haut (Sister) by Ursula Meier (France, Switzerland) Crulic drumul spre dincolo (Crulic The Path to Beyond) by Anca Damian (Romania, Poland) Louise Wimmer by Cyril Mennegun (France) Csak a szél (Just the Wind) by Bence Fliegauf (Hungary, Germany, France) Tabu by Miguel Gomes (Portugal, Germany, France, Brazil)