An unprecedented cooperation is bringing together the European Union Delegations to Ethiopia and to the African Union to jointly fund & organise this year's edition of the European Film Festival (EUFF) in Ethiopia.

It's the strongest ever Team Europe exercise in the field of culture in the country as it features a record number of 21 EU Member States’ embassies and 3 European cultural institutes. Ukraine is the invited guest.

A bigger and bolder edition happens this year in Addis Ababa between 27 October and 19 November in 5 different venues across the city. All free-of-charge.

The festival kicked-off on Friday, 27 October with an invitation-only opening night at the National Theatre, featuring a red carpet gala and the screening of Spanish multi-award winning film Schoolgirls (original title: Las niñas).

Screenings moved to Alliance Ethio-Française in 28, 29 October and 3, 4 November, after to Istituto Italiano di Cultura during 5, 10 and 11 November and finally to Goethe-Institut Äthiopien during 12, 17 and 18 November.

The closing ceremony will happen in the open-air magical setting of Lycée franco-éthiopien Guebre-Mariam on Sunday, 19 November with the screening of Afro-European production Casablanca Beats (original title: Haut et fort) and the Swedish acclaimed film I am Zlatan (original title: Jag är Zlatan).

The EUFF features 22 recent European award-winning movies that have been screened at major international film festivals, in a fine blend of fiction, documentaries and animation. All films are screened in their original language, subtitled in English.

They are: Above the world (Austria), Vivre sa mort (Belgium), Mother (Bulgaria), The painted bird (Czech Republic), Mother at war (Denmark), The gravedigger’s wife (Finland), Wilderness therapy (France), Precious Ivie (Germany), Riviera East (Hungary), The quiet girl (Ireland), Caravaggio's shadow (Italy), Io sto bene (Luxembourg), Carmen (Malta), Romy's Salon (Netherlands), Backwards (Poland), My grandfather's demons (Portugal), Acasă, my home (Romania), Sanremo (Slovenia), Schoolgirls (Spain), I am Zlatan (Sweden), Klondike (Ukraine) and Casablanca Beats (Afro-European production).

The festival also promotes Ethiopian cinema by presenting short films produced by young emerging filmmakers.

Famous actresses, actors, filmmakers and producers from different corners of Europe will present their movies, participate in Q&A and deliver workshops & masterclasses.

For the first time, the festival is launching a Short Film Competition to trigger creativity and find new talents. Winners will have their films screened at the EUFF closing ceremony, will receive filming equipment and attractive prizes from partners.

For more: @euffethiopia on Facebook, Instagram & YouTube.

Contacts:

goncalo.GUEDES@eeas.europa.eu (EU to AU)

jannik.VAA@eeas.europa.eu (EU to Ethiopia)