European film buffs and lovers of visual arts are invited to take part in CineEuroConnect: A Collaborative Film Museum & Heritage Film Festival. Launched by Mockra Productions, the initiative is a project meant “to celebrate the profound influence that cinematography has on our lives, through the mediums of personal objects, storytelling and artistic creations”. The effort is being produced by Mockra Productions, and co-produced by the ABI Foundation.

It is part of the National Cultural Programme Timisoara – European Capital of Culture in 2023 and is funded by the OverBorder Culture+ programme, run by the Center for Culture and Arts from Timis County, with funds allocated from the state budget through the Ministry of Culture.

“I believe that cinematography is not just an artform, or a type of entertainment, but rather a real need in our lives. It connects us, challenges us to think and to feel, to explore and to learn. CineEuroConnect is not only an event, but also a manifestation of this need, of this common passion to share stories, to explore the past, and to build bridges towards the future and towards one another, regardless of borders,” said Mirona Radu, the artistic director of CineEuroConnect.

As part of the project, contributors are invited to share personal objects that have a special significance in relation to film. These objects will later form a mosaic that will tell the story of a collective passion. From old film tickets and precious souvenirs to behind-the-scenes photographs and handmade creations inspired by films, each object will reveal memories, emotions and perspectives shared by film buffs.

The selected objects will become part of a collaborative project that blends visual arts and cinematography. The exhibition will be based in Timisoara, with a preview in Samos (Greece), and will also travel as an itinerant show with a selection of objects to Sofia (Bulgaria) and Szolnok (Hungary), offering a European perspective on art and cinema. Moreover, a virtual gallery available here will ensure global accessibility.

Participants are invited to send their objects and their personal stories through which they highlight their individual connection to film to cineeuroconnect@gmail.com. The deadline to participate is set for 10 September.

Selected objects may be loaned for the period September to November, or they can be donated, thus remaining in the permanent exhibition. They should be relatively easy to transport, with the cost of transportation for selected items covered by the organisers. The latest shipping date must be 19 September.

Meanwhile, CineEuroConnect promises to bring together 12 emerging visual artists, who will be asked to reinterpret the impact of cinematography on society through their works. The artists, selected by a committee of experts from Ireland, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania and Egypt, will each receive a scholarship of €1,000 aimed at encouraging the creation of their original works.

“CineEuroConnect: A Collaborative Film Museum & Heritage Film Festival will thus blend cinema and visual arts, to create a symphony of narratives and emotions, connecting communities, cultures and histories. The project includes a series of activities meant to offer a coherent and immersive experience for participants.

“Debates will unite artists, curators and European guests during three sessions on timely topics such as artificial intelligence, the impact of heritage on creativity, and the importance of cinematography in the era of new platforms and technologies. In addition, a Heritage Film Festival will take place, with screenings of European heritage films in Timisoara, Samos and Sofia,” the CineEuroConnect team tells us.

Media partners include Radio România Internațional, IQads, Presshub, Spotmedia, Ziarul Metropolis, Liternet, Observator Cultural, Revista Golan, Bookhub, life.ro, Happ.ro, Semne Bune, MyBg.biz, Magyar Hang, Info Europa, Der Donauraum, Radio-televiziunea Vojvodina, Acoperișul de Sticlă, Cinefan, filme-carti.ro and MovieNews.