Further supporting its ongoing campaign to promote European films, Europa Cinemas will return once again to this year’s Giornate degli Autori/Venice Days section of the Venice Film Festival, awarding its Label prize to the best European film in the Giornate degli Autori/Venice Days section (August 28 to September 6). Reflecting the strength of European cinema, ten films in this year’s Giornate selection are from Europe, an unusually high percentage.

This marks the fifth year that the Europa Cinemas Label will be awarded at Venice, and complements the Labels awarded at the Panorama section in Berlin, the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs in Cannes and Karlovy Vary.

Previous winners of the Label are enjoying successful openings around Europe, buoyed by the invaluable support of extended theatrical exposure and additional promotion from the Europa Cinemas network.

Last year’s Venice winner - Andrzej Jakimowski’s TRICKS – has had great success in its native Poland and Holland, and, encouraged by Europa Cinemas’ support, there are openings planned this Autumn and early next year in Belgium (BFD), France (KMBO), Switzerland (Xenix), Germany (Kool Filmdistribution), UK (New Wave). Norway (Arthaus) and Spain (Sherlock Films). Bouli Lanners’ Cannes winner ELDORADO has had strong openings in Belgium and France.

A jury of four Europa Cinemas exhibitors will award the Label at Venice: Ana Christina Santos (DCA, Dundee/UK); Mario Lorini (Garibaldi, Poggibonsi/Italy); Fredrik Jönsson (Folkets Bio, Lund/Sweden) and Alexander Syllaba (Cinema Paradiso, St. Pölten/Austria).

Previous winners of the Europa Cinemas Label are:

Cannes/Directors’ Fortnight
2003: The Mother (Roger Michell, UK)
Kitchen Stories (Bent Hamer, Norway/Sweden)
2004: In the Battlefields (Danielle Arbid, France/Belgium/Lebanon)
2005: La Moustache (Emmanuel Carrère, France)
2006 : 12 :08 East of Bucharest/A Fost sau n-a fost ? (Corneliu Porumboiu, Rumania)
2007: Control (Anton Corbijn, UK)
2008: Eldorado (Bouli Lanners, Belgium)

Berlin/Panorama
2005: Live and Become (Radu Mihaileanu, France/Belgium/Israel)
Crustacés et Coquillages (Olivier Ducastel, Jacques Martineau, France)
2006 : Tough Enough/Knallhart (Detlev Buck, Germany)
2007: El Camino de los Ingleses/Summer Rain (Antonio Banderas, Spain)
2008: Revanche (Götz Spielmann, Austria)

Venice/Venice Days
2004: Darwin’s Nightmare (Hubert Sauper, Austria/France/Belgium)
2005: Le Petit Lieutenant (Xavier Beauvois, France)
2006: Azul Oscuro Casi Negro /Dark Blue Almost Black (Daniel Sánchez Arévalo, Spain)
2007: Tricks/Sztuczki (Andrzej Jakimowski, Poland)

Karlovy Vary (Main Competition and East of the West section)
2006: Frozen City (Aku Louhimies, Finland)
2007: The Class (Ilmar Raag, Estonia)
2008: Bahrtalo! Good Luck! (Róbert Lakatos, Hungary)