Further supporting its ongoing campaign to promote European films, Europa Cinemas will return once again to this years Berlin Film Festival, awarding its Label prize to the best European film in the Panorama section (February 8-18).

This marks the third year that the Europa Cinemas Label will be awarded at Berlin, and complements the Labels awarded at the Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes, the Venice Days section of the Mostra del Cinema, and Karlovy Vary.

A jury of four Europa Cinemas exhibitors will award the Label at Berlin, with the winning film receiving the invaluable support of extended theatrical exposure and additional promotion from the Europa Cinemas network.

The Panorama jury will consist of Stas Ravter (Slovenia), Exhibitor at the Kinodvor cinema and General Manager of the Slovenian Cinematheque (Llubljana); Georgette Ranucci (Italy), Exhibitor at the Alcazar cinema in Rome; Michal Drobny (Czech Republic), Manager of the distribution/exhibition company Continental Film in Bratislava and Christian Schmalz (Germany), exbitor at the Off Broadway Kino in Cologne

Founded in 1992, the Europa Cinemas network now consists of a remarkable 1689 screens in 690 cinemas in 403 cities in 55 countries. Europa Cinemas’ aim is to support the programming and visibility of European films outside their country of origin, and to foster initiatives aimed at encouraging younger audiences to develop their interest in European films and cultural diversity.

Previous winners of the Europa Cinemas Label are:

Cannes/Directors’ Fortnight

2003: The Mother (Roger Michell, UK)

Kitchen Stories (BentHamer, Norway/Sweden)

2004: In the Battlefields (Danielle Arbid, France/Belgium/Lebanon)

2005: La Moustache (Emmanuel Carrère, France)

2006 : 12 :08 East of Bucharest/A Fost sau n-a fost ? (Corneliu Porumboiu, Rumania)

Berlin/Panorama

2005: Live and Become (Radu Mihaileanu, France/Belgium/Israel)

Crustacés et Coquillages (Olivier Ducastel, Jacques Martineau/France)

2006 : Tough Enough/Knallhart (Detlev Buck, Germany)

Venice/Venice Days

2004: Darwin’s Nightmare (Hubert Sauper, Austria/France/Belgium)

2005: Le Petit Lieutenant (Xavier Beauvois, France)

2006: Azul Oscuro Casi Negro (Dark Blue Almost Black)(Daniel Sánchez Arévalo,Spain)

Karlovy Vary (Main Competition and East of the West section)

2006: Frozen City (Aku Louhimies, Finland)