19/11/2009

A pillar for the circulation of quality European films across the continent, the Europa Cinemas network (2,066 screens in 471 cities in 42 countries) – headed by Claude-Eric Poiroux and presided by Claude Miller – kicks off its 14th annual conference today in Warsaw. Bringing together over 400 European professionals, the event closes on Sunday.

Before getting to the heart of the debates, today 12 European features will be presented in avant-premiere. The line-up includes German director Fatih Akin’s Venice award-winner Soul Kitchen [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (see review and video interview); The Reverse [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Agata Buzek - actress
interview: Borys Lankosz
film profile] by Poland’s Borys Lankosz; The Forest by fellow Polish director Piotr Dumala (see news); Front Line [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Luc & Jean-Pierre Dardenne
interview: Renato De Maria
film profile] by Italy’s Renato De Maria; Applause [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Martin Pieter Zandvliet
film profile] by Denmark’s Martin Pieter Zandvliet; Eastern Plays [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Kamen Kalev
film profile] by Bulgaria’s Kamen Kalev (LUX Prize 2009 competition); Slovakian/Austrian/Czech co-production Cooking History by Peter Kerekes (see interview); Spanish director Daniel Sánchez-Arévalo’s Gordos [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Daniel Sánchez Arévalo
Interview with Daniel Sánchez-Arévalo,…
film profile] (“Fat People”); The Last Days of Emma Blank [+see also:
interview: The Last Days of Emma Blank…
film profile] by Holland’s Alex van Warmerdam (see video interview); Austrian director Jessica Hausner’s Lourdes [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jessica Hausner
film profile] (see review); La Pivellina [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Austrian-Italian duo Rainer Frimmel and Tizza Covi; and Norwegian director Rune Denstad Langlo’s North [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Rune Denstad Langlo
film profile].

Digital will obviously be a focus of the conference, to be opened by Agnieszka Odorowicz (Polish Film Institute), Aviva Silver (MEDIA Programme) and the Polish Secretary of State for Culture, Piotr Żuchowski, among others.

Participants in the debates include Peter Garde (Zentropa), Angelo Barbagallo (Bi. Bi Film), Thomas Matlok (Pandora), François Yon (Films Distribution), Ross Fitzsimons (Curzon Artificial Eye), Christian Thomas (Imagine Film Distribution), Hans König (Polyfilm), Christine Eloy (Cinéart), Ben Metcalf (Soda Pictures), Régine Vial (Les Films du Losange), Viktor Senn (Frenetic Films), Olivier Wotling (CNC), Jean Mizrahi (Ymagis) and film director Krzysztof Zanussi.

(Translated from French)