Since it was launched in 1991, the EU MEDIA programme has invested over €2.4 billion in European creativity and cultural diversity. It has supported the development of thousands of films in Europe and their international distribution. This year’s Cannes Film Festival is a great occasion to celebrate the 25th anniversary of MEDIA. MEDIA-funded films once again feature very strongly in the selection: 9 of the 21 films in competition for the Palme d’Or this year have been supported by MEDIA.
Both European Commission Vice-President Ansip and Commissioner Oettinger will be at the Cannes Film Festival this year to discuss the achievements of MEDIA and how the EU can further strengthen the audiovisual sector, which employs over 1.3 million people in the EU, under its strategy to create a Digital Single Market.
Vice-President Ansip, in charge of the Digital Single Market, said: “The MEDIA programme has played an essential role to help European films reach new audiences across borders. We need to build on this success and foster the circulation of content in Europe with the right EU framework. Digital developments bring opportunities and challenges for the audiovisual sector. We need to find solutions together to boost the legal offer online and fight piracy. I am really looking forward to discussions with filmmakers in Cannes.”
Commissioner Oettinger, responsible for the Digital Economy and Society, said: “The MEDIA programme has become a quality label for European films. I am proud to see that almost half of the films in competition for the Palme d’Or this year have been supported by MEDIA. The MEDIA programme is also constantly adapting to the needs of the sector. In June, we will launch a €121 million guarantee facility for the cultural and creative sectors that will be open to audiovisual projects. It is expected to generate more than €600 million worth of bank loans.”
