MEDIA film wins 2011 LUX Film Prize

The winner of the European Parliament's 2011 LUX Film Prize has been announced as Les neiges du Kilimandjaro (The Snows of Kilimanjaro), directed by Robert Guédiguian. The film, which was supported by MEDIA's Automatic scheme for distribution, questions the injustices of today's societies and their political and trade union conflicts, and makes a plea for tolerance.

Les neiges du Kilimandjaro was chosen ahead of two other finalists: Attenberg by Athina Rachel Tsangari and Play by Ruben Östlund, both of which have also received funding from MEDIA. It screened at the 55th BFI London Film Festival in October this year.

Presenting the prize, the President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek said "The European Parliament's LUX Film Prize serves as a reminder that what unites us is stronger than what divides us. It reminds us that the values, freedoms and indeed self-criticisms we share, are worth fighting for. It also reminds us that European movies have no reason to envy non-European productions."

The LUX Film Prize is awarded each year to films which illustrate values that constitute European identity, the diversity of cultures in Europe or open a debate on the European Union integration process. The prize includes €90,000, which will pay for the subtitling of Les neiges du Kilimandjaro in the European Union's 23 official languages, adapting it for people with visual or hearing problems, and the cinema launch or production of a 35mm or digital copy in each Member State,.

Since its creation in 2007, every winner of the LUX Film Prize has been a MEDIA-supported film. Auf der anderen Seite (The Edge of Heaven) by Fatih Akin won in 2007, Le Silence de Lorna (Lorna's Silence) by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne won in 2008, Welcome by Philippe Lioret won in 2009 and 2010's winner was Die Fremde (When We Leave) by Feo Aladag.

For more information, visit the LUX Film Prize website.

Publication date: 21 Nov 2011