Film New Europe would like to thank all its sponsors, supporters and readers, and to wish them a Merry Christmas and a safe, happy and prosperous New Year.

REYKJAVIK: Lithuanian majority coproduction Mariupolis 2 by Mantas Kvedaravičius won European Documentary, while Slovenian majority coproduction Granny’s Sexual Life by Urška Djukić and Émilie Pigeard won Short European Film at the 35th edition of the European Film Awards, held in Reykjavik on 10 December 2022.

PARIS: The Czech Kino Pilotu took the top prize for Best Programming at the 2022 Europa Cinemas Awards, which were presented in Paris during an awards ceremony at the Cinéma le Balzac. The Prague cinema is managed by Jan Macola and Alzbeta Macolova. The Entrepreneur of the Year award went to Alexander Vandeputte and Jan De Clercq of the Lumière Cinemas, Belgium.

TALLINN: Eight awards were handed out to film projects in different stages of scriptwriting, development or postproduction at the 21st Baltic Event Co-Production Market 2022, which took place within the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (11 – 27 November 2022).

TALLINN: The 26th edition of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) wrapped on 27 November 2022 with the Icelandic/Estonian coproduction Driving Mum by Hilmar Oddsson winning the Grand Prix in the Official Selection Competition. The Baltic Competition was won by Lithuanian The Poet directed by Giedrius Tamoševičiu and Vytautas V. Landsbergis.

CANNES: Veteran Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski has scored a slot in the Cannes competition this year with the Polish/Italian coproduction EO, an odd tale that sees the world through the eyes of a donkey. It is sure to leave critics and audiences alike scratching their heads their heads.

CANNES: Just like the James Bond franchaise the Top Gun Maverick with Tom Cruise in the title role is a formula that cannot fail with audiences and its screening out of competition at this year’s Cannes Film Festival was one of the star turn highlights of the event. Even before the film screened the cast headed by Tom Cruise was greeted by thunderous applause on the red carpet and a further round of ovations when Cruise received a surprise Palme d’Or special award. It makes you wonder why it took so many years to come up with a sequel to the original Top Gun?

CANNES: Filmmaker Brett Morgen’s biopic of David Bowie Moonage Dreams screens Out of Competition in the Midnight Screenings of this year’s Cannes Film Festival but it is sure to be a worldwide hit given the enduring popularity of Bowie and the artist’s world fans.

CANNES: Director Kelly Reichardt’s Showing Up is a well deserved Cannes competition entry with an unusual take on the balance between art and family life for an American female artist. Reichardt is known for her minimalist style of filmmaking and Showing Up follows the same themes.