Editor

CINEMA16 TAKES MOODYSSON, GODARD, KIESLOWSKI, VON TRIER, LECONTE, TYKWER, MULLAN, MORETTI SHORTS OUT ACROSS EUROPE –
IT’S A “FILM FESTIVAL IN THE COMFORT OF YOUR OWN HOME”.

Following the success of the CINEMA16: BRITISH SHORT FILMS DVD, featuring Chris Nolan, Ridley Scott, Mike Leigh, Stephen Daldry, Lynne Ramsay, Peter Greenway and others, Cinema16 is now set to release a selection of the best classic and award winning European shorts in June.

CINEMA16: EUROPEAN SHORT FILMS offers the opportunity to see the fascinating early work from some of Europe’s greatest directors alongside award winning films from its most exciting new filmmakers.

The project has been described by the BBC as a “film festival in the comfort of your own home”.

It includes previously unseen graduation films from Lars Von Trier (“Dogville”), and Krzysztof Kieslowski (“Three Colours Trilogy”); early shorts from Jean-Luc Godard (“A Bout de Souffle”), Lukas Moodysson (“Together”), Nanni Moretti (“The Son’s Room”), Jan Kounen (“Dobermann”), Tom Tykwer (“Run Lola Run”), Peter Mullan (“The Magdalene Sisters”) Javier Fesser (“Mortadelo and Filemon”), and Roy Andersson (“Songs from the Second Floor”); award winning films including Anders Thomas Jensen’s Oscar winner “Election Night”, Juan Solanas’ Cannes Jury Prize winner “The Man Without a Head”, Chris Morris’s BAFTA winning “My Wrongs”, Virgil Widrich’s Oscar nominated “Copy Shop” and Jan Svankmajer’s classic “Jabberwocky”.


All of the films are accompanied by commentaries, many given by the directors themselves, providing a unique and intimate insight into the process of making a short film.

Luke Morris, the award-winning producer who created the project said: “Cinema16 is an attempt to raise the profile of short films, which have been integral to the careers of so many great directors – from Jean-Luc Godard to David Lynch to Ridley Scott. Cinema16 gives the next generation of film-makers inspiration and access to these fantastic films that are otherwise so difficult to see.

The British edition proved what many had doubted – that there’s a big audience for these kinds of films, which can be every bit as interesting and entertaining as features, and that there’s an appetite for something different. Producing a European collection was the obvious next step given the wealth of amazing films out there. I’m just pleased that this release is supported by so many of Europe’s most exciting filmmakers.”

With over three and a half hours of films (and another three and a half hours of commentaries) CINEMA16: EUROPEAN SHORT FILMS is essential viewing for anyone with an interest in the moving image. Like the British edition it’s expected to become one of the most collectable and unique DVDs on the market.

Cinema16 celebrates the launch of the European edition with screenings of selected films from the new release at the ICA on June 8th at 6.30pm and at BAFTA (in association with Shooting People and Dazed & Confused) on June 10th at 7.00pm.

Stewart Till of UIP said: Given our involvement with European Film Academy and Prix UIP we’re pleased to be supporting the Cinema16 project, which is a natural way of extending our support for new filmmakers and short films in Europe. By giving young film-makers access to the early works of some of Europe’s most renowned directors, and in turn shining the spotlight on its next generation of filmmakers, it’s a great way to celebrate short films and the variety of filmmaking talent in Europe. And it’s nice that
the creator of the project, Luke Morris, was the producer of our first EFA/Prix-UIP winning short film “Je t’aime John Wayne”.

Luke Morris' short film also was selected for Kodak's European Short Film Showcase at Cannes, part of Kodak's on-going activities to give exposure to new talent in its Worldwide Student and Emerging Filmmakers' Program.

"The opportunity to extend our support to Cinema16, to highlight the work of filmmaking masters and inspire emerging talent with the creativity of film could not be missed," said Janet Anderson, Marketing Director for Kodak's Entertainment Imaging business in Europe. "Kodak is proud to support the Cinema16 initiative to make these short films widely available, as Kodak is proud of its long-standing relationship with the motion picture industry."