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Press release
www.lux-prize.eu

Brussels, Friday 12 June 2009 - Through the partnership it has sealed this year with the Brussels European Film Festival, the European Parliament today unveils the Official Selection of its film prize — The LUX Prize. Ten films are in the Official Selection, but only three will compete for the LUX Prize 2009. They will be disclosed during the Venice International Film Festival in September. The three competing films will be shown at the European Parliament from 2 to 20 November. A vote will be cast by the 736 Members of the European Parliament to elect the winner, which will then be awarded the LUX Prize 2009 at the European Parliament on 25 November in Strasbourg.

European cinema is rich. Its wealth is multidimensional: diversity, talents and a long history which sheds light on the melting pot of our individual and collective identities.

Since 2007, the LUX Prize is a true symbol of the support brought by the European Parliament to the European film industry and its great, relentless creativity.

The aim of the LUX Prize is to spotlight the wealth and the diversity that characterize European cinema by selecting films which deal, in different ways, with European issues – especially what makes us think, divides us or brings us closer to each other.

Supporting Cultural and Linguistic Diversity. Encouraging the Circulation of European Films
«Being able to see other producers’ films is a real problem in Europe. The LUX Prize is a first step to solving it. I hope that everyone involved in distributing and screening movies throughout Europe will grasp the significance of this.». [Luc Dardenne, winner, with his brother Jean- Pierre, of the LUX Prize 2008 , for Le Silence de Lorna ]

For the European Parliament, the LUX Prize is a way to break down the language barriers that prevent films from circulating in Europe. Much like Auf der Anderen Seite (2007) or Le Silence de Lorna (2008), the LUX Prize 2009 winning film will benefit from the financial support of the European Parliament:

- subtitling in the EU’s 23 official languages, including the adaptation of the original version for visually- or hearing-impaired people;
- producing, per member state, a 35 mm version or supporting the DVD release.

LUX Prize 2009 Official Selection

In 2009 again, the LUX Prize Official Selection spotlights ten films. These films have been selected because of their quality and their contribution to the European public debate, highlighting topics such as solidarity, immigration, justice, public freedom or fundamental rights. Beyond the social issues it illustrates, every film becomes a window which opens up on Europeans, their questions, their daily lives and their quest for identity.

The Ten Films in the 2009 Official Selection :

- 35 Rhums, by Claire Denis

- Lost Persons Area, by Caroline Strubbe
 
- Ander, by Roberto Caston
 
- North, by Rune Denstad Langlo, Europa Cinemas Label Berlin 2009

- Eastern Plays, by Kamen Kalev

- Pandora's Box, by Yesim Ustaoglu

- Fuer Ein Augenblick, by Arash T. Riahi

- Sturm, by Hans-Christian Schmid

- Katalin Varga , by Peter Strickland

- Welcome, by Philippe Lioret, Europa Cinemas Label Berlin 2009

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Contact :

Bertrand PELTIER
Tél. +32 498 98 32 37
E-mail : epfilmprizelux at europarl.europa.eu
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Pictures (from top) : Eastern Plays, Katalin Varga, Welcome