European Film Market to focus on Lithuania and other Baltic states
While on a working visit in Berlin, the Minister of Culture Simonas Kairys attended the opening ceremony of the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival as well as the opening of the European Film Market which takes place during the festival.
This year, one of the most important events of the film industry has granted special status to the Baltic states: Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are introducing themselves in the special programme “Country in Focus”.
“Lately, the Lithuanian film sector has been demonstrating exceptional achievements. This year, our filmmakers have been included among the talents of the Berlinale, and the producers are presented in special programmes that will help develop international relations and seek out other opportunities. At the European Film Market, we will present two Lithuanian documentary projects and also show the film Gražuolė by Arūnas Žebriūnas, which has been included in the Berlinale’s retrospective programme. We are proud that the new Lithuanian series, Trolių Ferma, is shown in the Berlinale Series Market Select section. Thus, now, as the focus of one of the most important film industry events together with the other Baltic states, we are ready to tell many stories”, the Minister Simonas Kairys said during the European Film Market’s opening event.
During the visit, Simonas Kairys, Latvia’s Minister of Culture Nauris Puntulis and Estonia’s Minister of Culture Piret Hartman met with Germany’s Minister of Culture Claudia Roth and the Director of the European Film Market Dennis Ruh. During the talks, delight was expressed about the opportunity to introduce the Baltic states’ film industries in the special programme Country in Focus and emphasis was also placed on the fact that this initiative will undoubtedly have a positive impact on further development of the film industries of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.
The minister thanked his colleagues for the support to Ukraine and stressed that democracy is required for culture, therefore, Europe must act as actively as possible in such formats as UNESCO and seek for culture to become an independent goal of sustainable development in the future.
Continuing the discussion separately, the Baltic states’ ministers of culture talked about the need to support the Ukrainian film industry and discussed the cooperation formats of the three countries and their improvements.
In the photo by Erlend Štaub (left to right): Minister of Culture Simonas Kairys, Germany’s Minister of Culture Claudia Roth, Estonia’s Minister of Culture Piret Hartman and Latvia’s Minister of Culture Nauris Puntulis.
Last updated: 13-04-2023