Brussels, 17/11/2011 (Agence Europe) - Equipment is too expensive for small independent cinemas to be involved in the current digital revolution, emphasise MEPs in a resolution adopted on Wednesday 16 November by 506 votes to 27, with 46 abstentions during the plenary session in Strasbourg. MEPs call for specific EU subsidies to help art-house cinemas and small neighbourhood cinemas invest in production, archiving 3D projection and HDTV or Blue-Ray technology. Parliament's culture and education committee chair Doris PACK (EPP, Germany) said: “The costs of digitization are acceptable for the multiplexes, but small independent cinema owners cannot afford them. Yet it is precisely these small cinemas that are important for cultural diversity”.
European and national subsidies for European cinema should foster diversity in Europe's film production and cinema network, as a way of promoting the expression of European cultural identities. MEPs call for a one-off increase in state aid and money to be made available from the EU Structural Funds and the new MEDIA programme MEDIA to support the digitisation of European cinema's production and distribution chain.
The key challenge facing European cinema today is to boost audiences at small independent cinemas in small towns and rural areas, which are particularly vulnerable financially and should be helped to keep up with technological progress, say MEPs. They also stress the importance of digital archiving in conserving and showing this national and European heritage. MEPs call on EU member states to take the necessary legislative measures, whilst ensuring that author copyrights are respected. (OL/transl.fl)