Brussels, 05/12/2011 (Agence Europe) - Six films supported by the European Union's MEDIA programme for cinema were among those honoured at the 2011 European Film Awards in Berlin on 3 December. The award for best European film went to “Melancholia”. In the other main award categories, Susanne Bier was named as best European Director, Colin Firth as best European Actor, and Tilda Swinton as best European Actress. In addition, “The King's Speech” received the People's Choice Award for Best European Film and Stephen Frears was honoured with the European Film Academy's lifetime achievement award. Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne took the award for European Scriptwriter.
Of the 24 nominated films at the awards, 17 had received support totalling more than €7.5 million from the MEDIA programme for production and distribution. Overall, the MEDIA programme is contributing €755 million for Europe's film and audiovisual industry in the period 2007-2013, with the focus on improving distribution and strengthening competitiveness.
Last week, the European Commission put forward its budget proposal for 2014-2020, which includes €900 million in support of the cinema and audiovisual sector as part of the Commission's new “Creative Europe” programme. (OL/transl.rt)