9th Annual European Union Film Festival

Hang on to your Euros. It’s free!

9th Annual European Union Film Festival

November 14 – 27, 2013

The Royal Cinema – 608 College St, Toronto

Box Office info:

General Admission to all EUFF screenings is FREE and on a first-come, first-served basis.

Seats to any screening can be secured in advance by a donation of min. $10 per seat at www.eutorontofilmfest.ca   

Advanced seats must be occupied min. 15 minutes prior to the start of the screening.

**Full line-up release**

(Toronto – October 21, 2013) This may not be exactly what Prime Minister Stephen Harper had in mind when he announced “free trade” with the European Union. But, for two weeks in November at Toronto’s Royal Cinema, the 9th annual European Union Film Festival is offering up a full slate of acclaimed films with free general admission.

The European Union Film Festival is proud to announce the Canadian schedule for its 2013 program. With this formidable line-up, the EUFF celebrates nine years of creative triumphs, showcasing the best contemporary cinema from its 28 member countries.

Kicking off the fest is The Other Dream Team (Lithuania), directed by 

Marius Markevicius. An official selection at the 2012 Sundance film festival, this documentary chronicles the brutalities the country’s basketball Olympic team were subjected to under communist rule, and how these elite athletes went from being the poster child for communist oppression to symbols of democracy and a new independent Lithuania.

Also part of EUFF will be the North American premiere, and closing night film, Natural Grace (Ireland), directed by award-wining documentarian Art O’Briain, and winner of Best Irish Feature Documentary at the Galway Film Fleadh 2012. An intimate in-depth portrait, this documentary follows Martin Hayes, one of Ireland’s greatest fiddlers and a leading exponent of traditional Irish music. 

Other North American Premieres include Dinner With My Sisters (Cyprus), a contemporary psychological drama of a Greek--‐Cypriot family in crisis; Living Images (Estonia) a historical drama following a noble woman who is shocked to discover her humble origins; The Consul of Bordeaux (Portugal) tells the story of Aristides de Sousa Mendes, a Portuguese consul in Bordeaux who helped thousands of people escape Nazi-occupied France.

Canadian Premieres will include Volare - The Great Story Of Domenico Modugno, (Italy) a biopic on Dominico Modugno, known for writing the classic song who rose from poverty to international fame, becoming one of Italy’s most beloved cantautori; Night Boats (Croatia) a charming love story of two people running from their retirement home together; Blind Spot (Luxembourg), the first thriller ever to be made in Luxembourgish; Happy Funerals (Romania), a dark comedy following three friends trying to rid themselves of a Gypsy course; and A Trip (Slovania) the story of three old friends, each at a crossroads in their lives, embarking on a road trip together.

My Father’s Bike (Poland), an inter-generational family comedy drama, winner of Best Screenplay at Poland’s Gdynia Film Festival; and Bajari (Spain) a documentary following a family  of Flamenco dancers, and exploring the rich traditions to accompany this famous dance, will both have their Toronto Premieres at EUFF.

Full line-up:

Austria - Kuma , directed by Umut Dag

Belgium - Bullhead, directed by Michaël R. Roskam

Bulgaria - Love.Net , directed by Ilian Djevelekov *Toronto Premiere

Croatia - Night Boats , directed by Igor Mirković *Canadian Premiere

Cyprus - Dinner With My Sisters, directed by Michael Hapeshis *North American Premiere

Czech Republic - Love Is Love , directed by Milan Cieslar *Toronto Premiere

Denmark - Superclásico , directed by Ole Christian Madsen

Estonia - Living Images , directed by Hardi Volmer *North American Premiere

Finland - Alcan Highway directed by Aleksi Salmenperä

France- Grand Central , directed by Rebecca Zlotowski * Toronto Premiere

Germany - Oh Boy, directed by Jan Ole Gerster *Toronto Premiere

Greece - God Loves Caviar , directed by Iannis Smaragdis

Hungary - The Exam, directed by Péter Bergendy * Toronto Premiere

Ireland - Natural Grace, directed by Art Ó Briain * North American Premiere

Italy – Volare - The Great Story Of Domenico Modugno, directed by Riccardo Milani *Canadian Premiere

Latvia - Dream Team 1935, directed by Aigars Grauba * Toronto Premiere

Lithuania - The Other Dream Team, directed by Marius A. Markevicius

Luxembourg - Blind Spot, directed by Christophe Wagner *Canadian Premiere

Malta - Reflections In The Emerald Isle, directed by Mark Magro

Netherlands - Jackie, directed by Antoinette Beumer

Poland - My Father's Bike, directed by Piotr Trzaskalski *Toronto Premiere

Portugal - The Consul Of Bordeaux , directed by João Correa and Francisco Manso *North American Premiere

Romania - Happy Funerals, directed by Horaţțiu Mălăele *Canadian Premiere

Slovakia - Miracle, directed by Juraj Lehotský

Slovenia – A Trip, directed by Nejc Gazvoda *Canadian Premiere

Spain - Bajari, directed by Eva Vila *Toronto Premiere

Sweden - Eat Sleep Die, directed by Gabriela Pichler

United Kingdom - BAFTA 2013 Short Film Nominees will screen: Here To Fall, The Curse, I Am Fine – Thanks, Tumult, The Making Of Long Bird, Goodnight, and The Voorman Problem.

About European Union Film Festival

Now in its 9th year, the official European Union Film Festival (EUFF) strives to reflect the excellence, innovation, and diversity of European cinema in Toronto, the world’s most multicultural city. Founded in 2004 as a salve to Hollywood monotony, this free festival showcases 28 contemporary films drawn from each of the EU’s member countries, they include: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom. EUFF is a unique festival and the only one in the world to bring together disparate EU Consulates and local cultural institutes for collaboration.

Contacts:

http://www.eutorontofilmfest.ca/

Twitter: @EUFFToronto

Facebook: facebook.com/EUFilmFestivalToronto

For more info, to request screeners or interviews get GAT:

Ingrid Hamilton | ingrid@gat.ca | 416.731.3034

Daniela Ponce | daniela@gat.ca | 647.239.3034