28th European Film Festival focuses on women filmmakers, to screen 28 films in 25 languages in Delhi

The 28th edition of the European Union Film Festival kicked off in Delhi yesterday (December 1). The film festival is an annual event organised by the EU Delegation to India along with Member States. The festival celebrates the diversity and depth of European cinema and culture, featuring award-winning films from all 27 European Union countries.

The annual festival was inaugurated at the Instituto Cervantes by the Ambassador of the European Union, H.E. Hervé Delphin. The event commenced with the screening of the French award-winning film Saint Omer. Inaugurating the film festival, H.E Hervé Delphin said, “Europe and India share a common love story with cinema and storytelling. The EU film festival is a Window to European culture, people, society, and themes that are universal in nature. Organized together with the 28 European Countries in true Team Europe spirit, celebrates the diversity and depth of European cinema. It aims to highlight cinema's role as a unifying force bridging the cultural ties between Europe and India. This year, we also welcome a film from Ukraine to the festival. EUFF is an excellent opportunity to meet the master storytellers, get insight into diverse cultures, and experience a myriad of emotions, all in one place!” 

Helmed by Alice Diop, Saint Omer, the opening film of the European Film Festival, showcased the prejudices and preconceptions surrounding a crime that goes beyond all comprehension while subtly weaving the issue of racism. It Chronicles the journey of young novelist Rama, who attends the trial of Laurence Coly, a young woman accused of killing her 15-month-old daughter. 

Before the screening of the film, Saint Omer actress Guslagie Malanda said, “After going through all the stages with Alice of making Saint Omer; I realized that being an actress was always in my gut maybe since the beginning of my life."

Veronica Flora and Valerio Caruso, Curators of EUFF 2023, said, "Cinema is a journey that we undertake together with people sitting next to us in a theatre or miles away. This metaphorical journey is the central theme of the 28th edition of the European Union Film Festival in India. Through the curated films, we aim to get the audience to experience what it's like to sometimes escape reality while sometimes embracing things as they are and explore emotions, humanity, and new ideas.” 

They added, “The festival also offers an opportunity for the audience to interact with and explore the art of storytelling with exceptional European and Indian filmmakers and artists. The line-up offers evocative, innovative, independent, and offbeat voices across genres such as drama, comedy, sci-fi, documentary, and animation.”

The 10-day European Film Festival will screen 28 films in 25 different languages. Featuring movies from 18 women directors, the festival celebrates Women in Cinema and the art of storytelling from the woman's perspective.