“CineRegio is a strong advocate of a Europe where Cultural Diversity is considered an opportunity and a driving force for growth, employment and creativity, – a creative eco-system that should be celebrated and defended – also by the European institutions in Brussels.” says the association’s General Secretary Charlotte Appelgren, quoting the press release published just after the CineRegio General Assembly that took place during the 70th Festival de Cannes.
In that press release, the network also warned that the continuing push in some European institutions for a Digital Single Market puts its major achievements in cultural diversity at risk.
“This is extremely worrying,” said Charlotte Appelgren. “It highlights the sad fact that the European institutions do not understand the film financing eco-system.”
This serious issue will undoubtedly give rise to passionate debates.
To conclude on an uplifting note, we should point out that the General Assembly saw the re-election of Philippe Reynaert as a member of the Board. He is also one of the five founders and the former, twice-elected President of CineRegio.
The association has proven to be of crucial importance. This has been illustrated most recently by the impressive number of films backed by regional film funds selected at Cannes: 36, to be precise.
Among the selections, it’s worth mentioning the animated film ZOMBILLENIUM, that is supported by no less than three of the film funds in the network: Région Grand Est (FR), Nouvelle-Aquitaine (FR) and Wallimage (BE).
The winner of the 2017 Palme d’Or itself, Ruben Ostlund’s « The Square », is backed by Film i Vast which is the film fund of Vastra Götaland (Sweden). Film i Vast was also involved in the film « Dancer in the Dark » that was awarded the Palme d’Or in 2000. As such, the Göteborg joins the elite group of regions that have twice won the Palme d’Or, and to which Wallonia belongs!
