Cinema needs Europe, Europe needs cinema is the title of an open letter, signed by (at time of writing) 4746 film professional (among which, Joachim Trier, Ruben Östlund, Yorgos Lanthimos,Francis Ford Coppola, Juliette Binoche, Sandra Huller,Stellan Skarsgård) calling on the European Union to continue supporting cinema.
The letters highlights the success of the EU’s Creative Europe Media programme, launched in 1991 to reinforce European cultural diversity and to help films travel beyond their national borders.
The European Union is currently revising the rules regolate financial support to the audiovisual industry in the new AGORA EU programme, which is set to replace Creative Europe from 2028.
The letters express the desire that a fair allocation to film and TV will be safeguarded, considered that AgoraEU programme will for the first time include news media and video games.
The letter was initiated by leading European film associations: Europa International, Europa Distribution, European Producers Club, CEPI, German producers body PROG, German sales agents group VDFE, training coalition ATC, directors association FERA, film writers’ body SAA and festivals organisation FAME.
In Cannes next week, the Open Letter’s slogan, “Europe needs cinema”, will be featured on badges distributed to attendees.
Here is the link to the full text of the letter and to the petition
