Don’t forget culture in the reform treaty talks

The event had a strong cinematic flavor, and included screenings of contenders for Parliament’s LUX European cinema prize. Closing the three-day Cultural Diversity Days event, European Parliament Vice-President Gerard Onesta (Greens/EFA, FR) called on EU heads of state and government meeting in Lisbon on Friday not to forget culture in their talks on the new treaty. He cited the Cultural Diversity Days and the launch of Parliament’s LUX European film prize as illustrating Parliament’s commitment to culture.

„Culture today is part of the economy and plays a very important role”, said Doris Pack (EPP-ED, DE), a member of the Committee on Culture and Education, adding that she thought it very important to include cultural achievements among those of the Parliament, and hoped that the LUX prize could contribute to this. The Diversity Days brought together European film directors, producers and people working with cinema, both in the business and in the European institutions.

The event sought to „illustrate, justify and question” Parliament’s cultural policy and to give the LUX prize „an ideological and political substance”. A key concern raised in several panel discussions in the preceding days was the digitization of the cinema, which will cost a lot of money, especially for small cinemas, and will be a major challenge for the European Cinema.

The event included a conference in three sessions, entitled „A soul for Europe Through Cinema”, „What is at stake for the European cinema” and „Protecting the cinema’s diversity”. In parallel with the conference, the three LUX prize contenders were shown in the Parliament. (EP Press)