Estonian Film Centennial Begins in Tartu
{mosimage}TALLINN: The 100th anniversary of Estonian film launched on 6 January in Tartu, the birthplace of the first national film director Johannes Paasuke whose first documentary was the now-lost Utotchkin…
Czech director Sverak looks to Africa
{mosimage}PRAGUE : Czech director Jan Sverak (www.sverak.cz ) is preparing a new project based on the Saul Bellows book Henderson the Rain King together with his long time production partner…
Theme Channels Gain Polish Viewers
WARSAW: Poland’s theme channels continued to gain viewers in 2011, rising by 10% in the target 16-49 age group, to a 33% share.
CEE Films Receive Eurimages Funding
{mosimage}STRASBOURG: Films from Romania, Hungary, Finland, Austria, and the Czech Republic are among the 18 European coproductions that have been selected for the latest round of Eurimages funding. Cristian Mungiu's…
New World Wins Estonian Journalists Prize
{mosimage}TALLINN: A documentary film, The New World (Uus Maailm) directed by Jaan Tootsen, has won the best film of 2011 prize from the Estonian Association of Film Journalists. Estonian public…
British Leonardo Project delegates pioneer new training programme
{mosimage}WARSAW: A delegation of British graduates became the first ever to participate in an innovative new pilot project launched in Warsaw with funding from the European Union Leonardo Project. The…
The Hungarian film industry pins hopes on the end of 2011 releases
{mosimage}BUDAPEST: The Hungarian film industry is pinning its hopes for the 2011 box office on two December releases in a year that saw the market share for domestically produced films…
FNE country focus Croatia: 2011
The year 2011 was a watershed for the Croatian film industry with the adoption of new legislation that introduced financial incentives for film production in the form of a 20%…
First round of scripts disappoints new Hungarian National Film Fund
BUDAPEST: The scripts submitted to the new Hungarian National Film Fund (MNF, www.filmalap.hu) in its first round have been described as “disappointing” by MNF chief Agnes Havas and Hungary’s Film…
National films see a huge downfall in Hungarian cinemas
By the end of November, the most successful Hungarian film among the premieres of 2011 reached about 20.000 viewers in the cinemas. The film Vad Magyarország (Wild Hungary) is a…
In Darkness Nominated for Critics Choice Award
{mosimage}Polish director Agnieszka Holland's holocaust film In Darkness has been nominated for the Critics Choice Award, which is given out by the Broadcast Film Critics Association, comprised of U.S. and…
PRODUCTION: Austrian Documentary Trains of Thought
{mosimage}VIENNA: Director Timo Novotny is prparing a spring 2012 release for the Austrian documentary Trains of Thought.
Cinema City expands in Romania
Cinema City announced the opening of its 12th multiplex in Romania on 15 December in the city of Turgu Mures. Cinema City now has a total of 114 screens in…
PRODUCTION: Totonel Shooting in Romania
{mosimage}BUCHAREST: Romanian Emmy-winning director Alexander Nanau is in production with Totonel, a 90 minute documentary about the education of a 10 year old boy growing up in an ill-fated neighborhood…
Bulgaria 2011 Country Profile
SOFIA: Despite severe cutbacks in funding, Bulgarian films had another strong year, attracting international attention and domestic audiences. The film services industry was bolstered by the largest-ever international production, and…
The Hungarian National Film Fund is waiting for better scripts
The Hungarian National Film Fund (MNF, www.filmalap.hu) discussed its first experiences with film professionals on an open debate in Budapest, on 13th December 2011. The new support body, that took…
OBITUARY: Mihnea Gheorghiu
{mosimage}BUCHAREST: The president of the Romanian Filmmakers Union (UCIN, www.ucin.ro) passed away on 11 December 2011. He was 92. Gheorghiu was born in 1919. He was the head of the…
OBITUARY: Velko Kanev
{mosimage}SOFIA: Bulgarian actor Velko Kanev died on 11 December 2011. Kanev was born 31 July 1948 and began his career in regional theatre before joining the Bulgarian National Theatre in…
Baltic Lotte Heads to Berlinale
{mosimage}Lotte ja kuukivi saladus (Lotte and the Moonstone Secret) a coproduction from Estonia and Latvia, directed by Janno Põldma and Heiki Ernits, is one of 14 films selected to screen…
Hanakova Leading Candidate for Czech Minister of Culture
PRAGUE: Alena Hanakova has been put forward for the vacant post of Czech Minister of Culture, following the resignation of Jiri Besser last week.
