Brussels, 10/02/2000 (Agence Europe) - "As part of its policy of supporting the film industry, the European Commission is planning to instigate one or more Media Prizes for European films", announced the spokesperson of Ms Reding, European Culture Commissioner. The prizes would be awarded next May, at the same time as the Cannes Film Festival, to films which had received EU funding. One prize would go to the biggest box office hit of 1999 ("Asterix"), another to the film which had been shown in the greatest number of countries in Europe ("Kirikou et la Sourcière") and possibly a third award for the best first film."
We aim to draw the attention of the film industry and more especially the general public to the objectives we are pursuing in our Media Programme, in other words promoting the distribution of European films to other European countries", explained the spokesperson. The Commission has yet to decide what format the prizes should take (either a nominal sum of money or something more symbolic) and may organise a European Cinema Day during the film market which is held each year alongside the Cannes Film Festival.