Spotlight on Brussels and the European Parlament - LUX Audience Award 2026

There are 5 candidates for the upcoming LUX Audience Award, 5 European films are competing to receive the ultimative European award and recognition next Tuesday on Brussels on April 14.

Not that they are unknown, the candidates are already winners in A-rated film festivals like Cannes or Berlin. Different topics, different angles of portraiting our society, the world in which we live, a challenged one.

Among them is the prestigious Palme d'Or winner "It was just an accident" by Jafar Panahi. Philippe Martin, the French producer of the film will be representing the film in Brussels at the award ceremony while the director of the film is far away, in Teheran. The European Parlament, the organiser has invited me to attend the awards ceremony among other carefuly selected journalists giving me the opportunity to interview the French producer of all Panahi films. I have been in Iran, I have stayed in Teheran, visited the museums  and shopped at the famous bazar and traveled to the beautiful city of Isfahan with the Unesco world heritage 16th-century palace with the famous music room, the 17th-century mosque, whose dome and minarets are covered with mosaic tiles and calligraphy, and visited the Holy Savior Cathedral in the Armenian district. I just can't imagine a Teheran and Isfahan in ruins. Talking to Soraya, my Persian friend in Bremen, I find out that Panahi has returned to his beloved Teheran the next morning after his big success in Cannes. "People like him can't survive outside of Iran" she is commenting. Courageous mad I can't make up my mind about Panahi, known for his rebellious spirit against all persecutions he endured by the despotic regime, while wondering if Panahi is still alife. Many questions to address, I will find the answers next Tuesday.

To be continued!

Alice Kanterian 

images © European Parliament. All rights reserved.

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