This year's edition of EuroCine27 European film festival, held in six European cities, welcomed director Costa Gavras as its guest of honour in Brussels. For its sixth edition, this festival has been celebrating European film production allowing audience

FOCUS: The EuroCine27 festival welcomes Costa Gavras (extended version)

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/15108181/Y005-00034-L-EN.srt

A few days ago in Brussels the annual   festival of European cinema was held.

I'm actually on stage   at the UGC de Brouckère

The guest of honour   at this EuroCine27 festival,

director Costa-Gavras   quickly set the tone.

I think the role of Europe essentially   is to promote culture and education.

They put up balloons and rolled out   the carpet for this one-day event

this has also taken place in Paris,   Rome, Madrid, Lyon, Strasbourg,

and it's a lasting one   because this is now the sixth year.

I would say it's a success   and that's almost a surprise.

Perhaps it was a crazy gamble   to start with.

We were talking about   European cinema and Europe Day

at a time when European cinema   isn't doing very well

and, as for Europe Day, Europe doesn't   necessarily inspire celebration.

The idea came out of a meeting   between the head of UGC and myself,

a big fan of cinema   and a big fan of cinema and of Europe.

Like all the best stories, it was obvious.   We set up the project together.

27 European films were shown   throughout the day of the festival.

27 films, one for each country   in the European Union,

which had often never been seen   in another country.

To go and see a Lithuanian   or Czech or Romanian film...

It's true that we're in Brussels,   but people do go

because they might be originally   from that country,

either first, second or third generation.

But the audience may consist of   inquiring film enthusiasts

who really want to see a film   they'll never be able to see elsewhere,

Yes, the public did want to see   what the neighbours produce.

As Monnet said,   if he had to do it all over again,

he would have started with culture,   so that's important.

At the root of the festival   is the fact that European films

don't always get   the distribution they deserve.

That's how the European Union   got involved in the event

It's very complex, expensive and risky   to try to sell a film abroad.

There is enormous,   overwhelming competition

Their marketing budgets and the sales   already achieved in their home territory

mean that these films are very profitable   to distribute for cinema owners.

This is a unique programme of films,   unfortunately they won't be seen again

because of a lack   of channels of distribution.

It's a unique chance to see them   in one day at an affordable price.

Through this event we'd like to prove   that European cinema is very high quality

and that it carries messages   that go beyond the country of origin.

If you make a French film   it won't be full of French stereotypes

or a Flemish film   for the Flemish community,

or Lithuanian, etc.   It's much broader.

For this Romanian actress who came   to Brussels with her film, Exchange,

It's very important to make and to release   films to be known throughout Europe,

to show that Romania   wants to have its place

here in Brussels   which is the capital of Europe.

and we're very happy to give them   a bit of a helping hand.

a lesson in cinema from one of   the authorities in the seventh art,

On the programme is the life and works   of the film-maker,

who came to show a preview   of his latest film,

As Costa-Gavras says,   it's the story of a hero

who after many adventures, including   a visit to heaven and a brief stay in hell,

There's a personal dimension to it,   but it's not an autobiography.

even if there were some reasons   that are the same for everyone.

The personal thing about it is leaving your   loved ones, your family, your language,

The other very personal thing   is the fact that it was Paris

and not another town.   I wanted to go to Paris.