American Film Institute Announces 2015 AFI European Union Film Showcase Lineup

SILVER SPRING, Md., Nov. 18, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Film Institute (AFI) announces today the complete slate of films for the 2015 edition of its AFI European Union Film Showcase, taking place December 1–20 at the historic AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring, Maryland.  This year's AFI European Union Film Showcase is generously supported by the Delegation of the European Union to the United States as the presenting partner through the EU's Getting to Know Europe grant.  Now in its 28th year, the AFI European Union Film Showcase highlights the year's best European filmmaking, featuring a selection of more than 50 films representing all 28 European Union member states, including international film festival award winners, regional box office hits, debut works by promising new talents and many countries' official submissions for the Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award^®.

This year's AFI European Union Film Showcase will open December 1 with Fernando León de Aranoa's A PERFECT DAY (Spain), a darkly comedic portrait of aid workers attempting to provide clean water during the aftermath of the Balkan War, starring Oscar^® winners Benicio Del Toro (TRAFFIC, SICARIO) and Tim Robbins (MYSTIC RIVER, THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION) alongside Olga Kurylenko (QUANTUM OF SOLACE, OBLIVION) and Mélanie Thierry (THE ZERO THEOREM).  The film will be followed by a Q&A with filmmaker Fernando León de Aranoa and a reception, with support for the evening provided in part by the Embassy of Spain and SPAIN arts & culture.

The Closing Night film, THE TREASURE (Romania), directed by Corneliu Porumboiu (POLICE, ADJECTIVE; 12:08 EAST OF BUCHAREST), is a deadpan comedy of manners that premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Prix Un Certain Talent.

The Showcase's Special Presentations section includes Paolo Sorrentino's YOUTH (Italy) starring Michael Caine, Harvey Keitel, Jane Fonda, Paul Dano and Rachel Weisz; THE LADY IN THE VAN (United Kingdom) starring Maggie Smith; Jacques Audiard's Cannes Palme d'Or winner DHEEPAN (France); BODY (Poland) directed by Malgorzata Szumowska, winner of the Best Director prize at the 2015 Berlin International Film Festival; 45 YEARS (United Kingdom) starring Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay, winners of Best Actress and Actor at Berlin; Cannes Grand Prix Winner SON OF SAUL (Hungary); Berlin Silver Bear prize winner AFERIM! (Romania); festival favorite MY GOLDEN DAYS (France) directed by Arnaud Desplechin; Venice Film Festival premiere A WAR (Denmark) directed by Tobias Lindholm (A HIJACKING); and A ROYAL NIGHT OUT (United Kingdom) starring Sarah Gadon, Bel Powley, Emily Watson and Rupert Everett.

Other highlights include the U.S. premiere of MA MA (Spain) starring Penélope Cruz; DISORDER (France) starring Matthias Schoenaerts and Diane Kruger; THE WAIT (Italy) starring Juliette Binoche; SECOND COMING (United Kingdom) starring Idris Elba; Matteo Garrone's TALE OF TALES (Italy) starring Salma Hayek, John C. Reilly and Vincent Cassel; KILL YOUR FRIENDS (United Kingdom) starring Nicholas Hoult, James Corden and Rosanna Arquette; and Nanni Moretti's MIA MADRE starring John Turturro.

Among the films featured are a number of 2015 Oscar^® submissions for Best Foreign Language Film, including THE HIGH SUN (Croatia); A WAR (Denmark); 1944 (Estonia); THE FENCER (Finland); SON OF SAUL (Hungary); THE SUMMER OF SANGAILE (Lithuania); BABY(A)LONE (Luxembourg); AFERIM! (Romania); and THE TREE (Slovenia). 2014 Oscar^® submissions include SIMSHAR (Malta).

Complete list of U.S. premieres:
MA MA (Spain)
EVA NOVÁ (Slovakia)
THE SNAKE BROTHERS (Czech Republic)
THE MAGIC MOUNTAIN (France)
BABY(A)LONE (Luxembourg)
IMPRESSIONS OF A DROWNED MAN (Cyprus)

Complete list of East Coast premieres:
A WAR (Denmark)
THE WAIT (Italy)
YOU'RE UGLY TOO (Ireland)
(BE)LONGING (Portugal)
THE TREE (Slovenia)
SIMSHAR (Malta)

For photos, contact Josh Gardner at [email protected].  For updated information and tickets, go to http://www.afi.com/silver/eushowcase/

About the Delegation of the European Union to the United States
The EU is represented in the United States by the Washington, DC, Delegation of the European Union, which works in close coordination with the diplomatic missions of the 28 EU Member States. The EU Delegation presents and explains European Union policy to the U.S. Administration and to Congress, and analyzes and reports on the political, social and economic situation in the U.S. to its headquarters in Brussels. Through its engagement with political actors, the media, academia, business circles, cultural institutions and civil society, the EU Delegation raises awareness of EU issues and concerns, and promotes the importance of the EU-U.S. relationship among the broader American public. The Delegation is headed by Ambassador David O'Sullivan.

About the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center
AFI Silver is one of the nation's premier film theaters, building an appreciation of the art and artists through exploring and celebrating new and classic films and filmmakers from around the globe. AFI Silver offers a year-round program of the best in American and international cinema, featuring a dynamic mix of retrospectives, special events, tributes, on-stage guest appearances, specialty first-run movies, festivals, premieres, and education and community-based programs in a theatrical setting of the highest standards. Anchored by the stunningly restored 1938 Silver Theatre, the three-screen AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center is a state-of-the-art film and digital media exhibition venue that serves as a national model for preserving and honoring our shared film and film-going heritage. For more information about AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, visit AFI.com/Silver or connect at twitter.com/AFISilver, facebook.com/AFISilverTheatre and youtube.com/AFISilverTheatre

About the American Film Institute
AFI is America's promise to preserve the heritage of the motion picture, to honor the artists and their work and to educate the next generation of storytellers.  AFI programs include the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and the AFI Archive, which preserve film heritage for future generations; the AFI Life Achievement Award, the highest honor for a career in film; AFI AWARDS, honoring the most outstanding motion pictures and television programs of the year; AFI's 100 Years…100 Movies television events and movie reference lists, which have introduced and reintroduced classic American movies to millions of film lovers; year-round and special event exhibition through AFI FEST presented by Audi, AFI DOCS and the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center; and educating the next generation of storytellers at the world-renowned AFI Conservatory.  For more information about AFI, visit AFI.com or connect with AFI at twitter.com/AmericanFilm, facebook.com/AmericanFilmInstitute and youtube.com/AFI.

For the full line-up of films, please see http://www.afi.com/silver/eushowcase/

SOURCE Delegation of the European Union to the United States

Related Links

http://www.eurunion.org