14 EU-funded films head to Cannes

14 films representing in total over ?900,000 of co-funding from the European Union's MEDIA programme have been selected for screening at the 61^st Cannes International Film Festival, opening on 14 May.

This high visibility for European films will be celebrated on 19 May during Europe Day at Cannes, where European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, EU Media Commissioner Viviane Reding and Festival President Gilles Jacob will invite EU ministers for Audiovisual policy to discuss international film cooperation and make a special tribute to Portuguese film maker Manoel de Oliveira. Romanian film-maker Cristian Mungiu, winner of the Palme d'Or prize in 2007, will be the patron of this year's Europe Day.

& quot;Europe can be proud of the cultural diversity and global attractiveness of its vibrant cinema", said José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission. "European productions such as 'La Môme', 'Das Leben der Anderen', 'Belle Toujours' and 'Kontroll' have been celebrated at international film festivals and watched by millions of people, projecting the message around the world that Europe is about 'Unity in Diversity'."

The 14 EU-Funded Films at Cannes 2008

Official Competition:

Gomorra directed by Matteo Garrone (EU funding from MEDIA: ?45,000) – A Neapolitan mafia drama based on a novel by Roberto Saviano.

Delta directed by Kornél Mundruczó (?100,000) – Mihail comes home for his father's funeral. He meets his sister for the first tim e and they fall in love.

La frontière de l'Aube directed by Philippe Garrel (?50,000) – A young photographer sees a vision of his ex-lover, an actress who committed suicide after he cut her out from his life and who has now come back to haunt him.

Le silence de Lorna directed by Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne (?202,500) – An Albanian woman marries a drug addict in order to obtain Belgian residency.

The Palermo Shooting directed by Wim Wenders (?50,000) – A German photographer decides to take a break in Palermo where he meets a young woman and her completely different way of life.

Special Screenings:

Sangue pazzo directed by Marco Tullio Giordana (?111,600) – Renowned actors of Fascist cinema, who were part of the Salò Republic, were accused of col laborating and torturing and shot by the Partisans after the country was liberated.

Entre Les Murs directed by Laurent Cantet (?30,000) – The story of a French teacher at a secondary school in a difficult area.

Un Certain Regard:

Tulpan directed by Sergey Dvortsevoy (?40,000) – Bulat has done military service in the Russian Navy and returns to the Kazakh step to become a shepherd. For that, he has to learn the shepherding trade and get married.

Directors' Fortnight:

Eldorado (aka Léa) directed by Bouli Lanners (?51,500) – Yvan grows a strange affection for Elie, an adolescent who breaks into his house, and decides to drive the teenager back to his parents.

Elève libre directed by Joachim Lafosse (?82,500) – Jonas' dreams of becoming a professional tennis player are dashed when he fails his exams. He turns to Pierre for support. Their paternal, master-student relationship gradually becomes a complex and ambiguous one of dependence and manipulation.

Salamandra directed by Pablo Aguero (?26,000) – Six-year-old Inti has been living with his grandmother when Alba returns to drag him away on a crazy trip to a legendary valley in Patagonia.

Les Bureaux de Dieu directed by Claire Simon (?16,000) – Day-to-day functioning of the family planning centre where women come to inform themselves about a choice they have or want to make.

International Critics' Week:

Better Things directed by Duane Hopkins (?90,500) – A group of young people grow up together in a rural community in the Cotswolds, experien cing sexual awakening, boredom, and drug use.
Home directed by Ursula Meïer (?50,000) – The story of a handful of people gradually cut off and disconnected from the world, who end up shutting themselves in.

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