European Parliament Film Prize unveils 3 nominees Eastern Plays, Sturm and Welcome

Today, under the auspices of the 66th Mostra, the European Parliament unveiled the three contending films for the LUX Prize
2009: Eastern Plays (Kamen Kalev), Sturm (Hans-Christian Schmid) and Welcome (Philippe Lioret) will compete for the film prize that has been awarded by the European Parliament to a European co-production for the last two years.

For the winner, the LUX Prize 2009 (lux is the Latin word for light), worth about 87,000 Euros, will finance subtitling in the EU’s 23 official languages, including the
adaptation of the original version for visually- or hearing-impaired people, and, for each EU’s member state, the production of a 35-mm print or a contribution to the DVD release.

The LUX Prize is a tangible symbol of the support brought by the European Parliament to foster the circulation of films within the European Union.

Three Films at the Heart of the European Public Debate

Eastern Plays, Sturm and Welcome are part of the 2009 LUX Prize Official Selection (see appendix 2) unveiled on June 12 in partnership with the Brussels European Film Festival.

These three films shed light on issues that are at the very heart of the European public debate: fundamental rights, public freedoms, justice, solidarity, immigration.

For Doris Pack, President of the European Parliament’s Committee on Culture and Education, «there is no European conscience neither emotion nor European identity, if we don’t keep in mind the specific histories of each country, that is to say if we don’t watch European films in order to discover the soul of Europe».

According to Kamen Kalev, director of Eastern Plays, «Neo nazi movements are not more present in Bulgaria than in other European countries. Intolerance is not exclusive to a single country, nor does it belong only to right-wing political forces. All politicians have the same responsibility –to help people outgrow their prejudices and learn to live together.»

Hans-Christian Schmid, director of Sturm, told that «one of the main reasons for me for making and also watching films in cinema is that they can tell an audience how diverse our lives in different countries and circumstances can be. I am very interested in seeing how individuals get along in diverging societies, when they are confronted with all kinds of social and economic changes. I like to be part of their - sometimes poetic and sometimes very real - lives and fates, and how they are told by filmmakers all over the world. Films need to travel and the LUX Prize can help a great deal to make these films be seen and understood all over Europe. What more could one ask for? »

Emmanuel Courcol, co-scriptwriter, with Philippe Lioret, of Welcome, reminded us «when a love story bumps into geography, human law and the absurd world order. The Amsterdam Treaty aimed at establishing an “area of freedom, security and justice” for Europeans. The selection of Welcome by the LUX Prize is an encouraging sign. We see this as a sign of support for the values which the film defends – commitment, solidarity and open-mindedness – against all attempts to go backwards.»

At last Fatih Akin and Klaus Maeck, respectively director and co-producer of Auf der anderen Seite, winner of the LUX Prize 2007, stated that “the LUX Prize is the most innovative award for European cinema. The sponsored subtitles enabling the laureate to present his film all around Europe is a great idea, and the election process draws attention to foreign productions from babylonic Europe which otherwise would have remained unknown. Hopefully the European Parliament will continue to promote our diverse and rich cinematographic culture through the LUX Prize».


The three contending films for the lux prize 2009

EASTERN PLAYS
Director: Kamen Kalev
Country: Bulgaria, Sweden
Year: 2009
Running time: 89 min.
Original languages: Bulgarian, Turkish, English
Synopsis
Two brothers who have lost all contact are suddenly brought together when they have opposite roles in a racist beating: while Georgi who’s recently joined a neonazi group participates in the violence, Itso witnesses and rescues the Turkish family. Georgi, now being asked to participate in larger events, starts to question his implication in the movement and Itso wonders if the beautiful Turkish girl he saved could be his ticket out from his sad life in Sofia. Only by reuniting will the two brothers be able to assess what they really want from life.

STURM
Director: Hans-Christian Schmid
Country: Germany, Denmark, Netherlands
Year: 2009
Running time: 110 min.
Original languages: English, German, Bosnian, Serbian
Synopsis
Hannah Maynard, a prosecutor at The Tribunal in The Hague manages to convince a young Bosnian woman to testify against an alleged war criminal. Amidst the inconsistency of political interests and threats coming from Bosnian Serb nationalists, she realizes that her opponents not only sit on the dock across from her, but are also found in her own ranks. Hannah faces the trial of her life, all of a sudden torn between her strong beliefs in the system and her loyalty towards the witness.

WELCOME
Director: Philippe Lioret
Country: France
Year: 2009
Running time: 110 min.
Original languages: French, Kurdish, English
Synopsis
Simon works as an instructor and lifeguard at the Calais swimming pool. To impress his wife and win her back, he decides to take a big risk, when he secretly helps out a young Kurdish refugee who wants to swim across the English channel.

The LUX Prize 2009 Official Selection.

• 35 RHUMS - Claire Denis
• ANDER - Roberto Castón
• EASTERN PLAYS - Kamen Kalev
• FÜR EIN AUGENBLICK FREIHEIT - Arash T. Riahi
• KATALIN VARGA - Peter Strickland
• LOST PERSONS AREA - Caroline Strubbe
• NORD - Rune Denstad Langlo
• PANDORA’S BOX - Yesim Ustaoglu
• STURM - Hans-Christian Schmid
• WELCOME - Philippe Lioret

Every year, the LUX Prize Official Selection includes ten films which meet the following requirements:

• Fiction or animation films;
• Minimum running time of 60 minutes;
• Illustrating or questioning the founding values of our European identity, Europe’s cultural
diversity and/or bringing insights into the debate on the EU integration process;
• Produced or co-produced in countries eligible under the MEDIA 2007 programme
(European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland);
• First theatre release between 1 June 2008 and 31 May 2009.