Editor

For the first time the European film event Picture Europe! The best of European Cinema is set in Copenhagen. From 12th – 18th March eleven very different films can be seen on the screens of the Grand Teatret, followed by a discussion with the films’ directors and actors. Under the motto “Let’s see what’s happening at the neighbours!” audiences get a unique opportunity to see what is happening film-wise in their neighbouring countries and can take part in an exceptional voyage through the film landscape of Europe.

This year’s event marks the second time that European Film Promotion (EFP) presents the film event PICTURE EUROPE! in cooperation with its member organisations and selected cinemas – this year in Copenhagen, Munich and Madrid – with support from the EU MEDIA programme and Volkswagen, the main sponsor of the festival. The event in Copenhagen is backed by the Danish Film Institute and the Grand Teatret.

When speaking of European cinema, one is also speaking of Danish, Greek, Italian, French and Austrian, etc. cinema. Every country has its own stars and its own blockbusters, seldom venturing beyond their respective national borders. The programme of PICTURE EUROPE! is spread widely in terms of genre and contains films from countries as different as Germany, Poland, Hungary, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Greece and Spain, amongst others. What all the films have in common is that they have been selected by the membership organisations of the respective countries, that they have been, or still can be described as block busters and that as such they have made a mark for themselves on their domestic territory.

In Denmark the festival opens on Wednesday 12th March in the Grand Teatret with Maggie Peren’s German comedy Stellungswechsel (Special Escort), about the rebellion of five men, who in protest against strong career women open an escort bureau, following the motto: “Sex for money is better than no sex and no money” – but in spite of offering an ‘orgasm guarantee’ they cannot predict the consequences.

Coming from Switzerland, Fulvio Bernasconi presents his drama Fuori Dalle Corde (Out of Bounds), about the boxer Michele, who returns to Italy following a failed career in Germany. Back home in Trieste an unpleasant reality awaits him, and he soon ends up in a hard-hitting world of illegality.


Poland is represented by director and scriptwriter Andrzej Jakimowski’s melancholic drama Sztuczki (Tricks), about the boy Stefek, who pictures his unknown father in his daydreams and carries out a secret plan to reunite the family with the father figure of his dreams.

With members in 28 different countries, European Film Promotion (EFP) takes a unique position in promoting European cinema and European talent. Members of the EFP network include the Danish Film Institute (DFI) – representing Denmark – as well as various European export- and launching organizations, such as the Shooting Stars presentation in Berlin, for which the actress Stine Fischer Christensen was chosen this year.

One of the most important tasks for EFP is to strengthen the presence of European cinema on the international market and to increase the possibilities for the commercial distribution of European films.

EFP has developed the initiative PICTURE EUROPE! THE BEST OF EUROPEAN CINEMA in an effort to win over a new audience for European cinema as well as approaching filmgoers already interested in the films of their neighbouring countries.

This year marks the second round for this European film event to be carried out in three European metropolises. After a successful premiere in 2007 in Madrid, Berlin and London, this year sees PICTURE EUROPE! presented in Copenhagen as well as in Madrid and in Munich, where Danish cinema is represented by Peter Schønau Fog’s award-winning drama Kunsten at Græde i Kor (The Art of Crying).