10/07/2006 (Agence Europe) - The Brussels European Film Festival closed on Saturday 8 July after a week rich in cinematographic discoveries. Fifty five films from Europe and elsewhere in the world (34 first and second works by European filmmakers and 21 international feature films) were shown, and the public was able to see the creative work of hitherto unknown young actors. The organisers were delighted to report a 27% increase in attendances on last year's festival (which has been in existence for three years) with over 19,000 spectators coming through the doors. On 1st July, information society and media commissioner Viviane Reding presented the new Media 2007 plan at a press conference, which was followed by the showing of the Romanian film “How I celebrated the end of the world”, which was on last year's programme and which had benefited from Media funding. The 2006 festival launched a “European Writing Competition for an Idea for a Feature Film” for young film makers and script writers from 45 European countries. The winner will receive a grant of €3000 and the runner-up €2000. The Jury, chaired by Jeanne Labrune, awarded its prize jointly to the Hungarian film “Fresh Air” and the Hungarian/Austrian/French film “Taxidermia”, which will share the €10,000 prize.