21 May 2024
On 18 May 2024, at Marché du Film, the industry string of Cannes Film Festival, the European Parliament hosted an event titled “Cinema in Action: Use Your Voice, Use Your Vote. For Democracy”.
The event, which explored the intertwinedness of the audiovisual industry and the protection of democratic values, with only weeks to go until the European elections (6-9 June 2024), was moderated by FERA CEO Pauline Durand-Vialle.
Before the start of the discussion, a short European Parliament documentary was screened, in which a generation of older Europeans who lived through war and communist regimes addresses their grandchildren and warns them not to take democracy for granted. The short spot aims to motivate Europeans to vote – so that nobody else can decide in their place.
The audience was welcomed with two keynote speeches, by Stephen Clark, the Director of the European Parliament Liaison Office, and Mark Downey, Chairman of the Board of the European Film Academy.
Stephen Clark explained that the reason why the European Parliament is having this important dialogue with audiovisual industry stakeholders just before the election, is to bring an emotional dimension to the debate. In the same vein, Mark Downey underlined that cinema was an important tool for Europeans to express themselves, as well as a tool to engage people.
The film Green Border, by Polish director Agnieszka Holland, is a good example for this. The film hit Polish cinemas in an election year and was highly politicised and feared by right-wing politicians, for its power to make people question the policies in place. Indeed, after the October 2023 elections, the “Law and Justice” party (United Right Alliance) lost office after eight years in power and a new Government was formed under Donald Tusk.
The keynotes were followed by a panel with film producer Ewa Puszczyńska; the Vice-President of the European Film Agency Directors Association (EFAD) and CEO of the Norwegian Film Institute, Kjersti Mo; and Ukrainian film producer and distributor Dennis Ivanov.
Ewa Puszczyńska, one of the producers of the Oscar-winning film The Zone of Interest by Jonathan Glazer, an historical drama following the life of Auschwitz commandant Höss and is family in their home next to the concentration camp, highlighted that film fosters critical thinking about important issues – for the filmmaker as well as the audience. The Zone of Interest is a “warning telling viewers not to be afraid to leave their comfort-zone”.
Dennis Ivanov stressed that, especially since the war in Ukraine, it became clear that democracy and peace in Europe are not granted and worth fighting for. Especially his home country and in Russia filmmakers often pay the prize for being outspoken and it is important to protect filmmakers, who are taking a personal risk with each project. Kjersti Mo noted that this was exactly why the EFADs introduced the European Solidarity Fund for Ukrainian Films.
The event concluded with a powerful and emotional speech by Romanian actress-writer-director Alina Serban about her own childhood as a Roma. As a young person experiencing poverty and discrimination because of her background, she did not think voting would make a difference for her. It was just a given, that other people made the decision for her community. However, especially since Romania joined the EU in 2007, she has now come to understand that every voice makes a difference and that change is possible. This is why participating in the elections is so important.
To go further:
– Information about the European elections and about how to vote in your country: https://elections.europa.eu
– Replay of the panel discussion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XGlpyW0gUI