17 OCT - 06 NOV 2019 EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL ‘19 MOVIES 02 Introduction About the EU & 03 EU in Malaysia History of the 04 European Union Ambassador’s 06 Foreword 08 The Movies 29 List of Honours Contents 32 Screening Schedule INTRODUCTION EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL ‘19 EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL ‘19 ABOUT EU & EU IN MALAYSIAMOVIES The Delegation of the European Union to Malaysia As the diplomatic mission of the The EU Delegation works in close Experience European Union, the Delegation’s contact with the Embassies of the task is to promote closer ties with individual EU Member States present Malaysia by providing an efficient in Malaysia and promotes the EU’s European and reliable communication channel common positions and policies in the between the EU and Malaysian areas of EU competence. authorities, business, educational institutions and civil society. For more information on the Cinematic Delegation, its activities and events, The Delegation also promotes people- and important and relevant events Culture to-people contacts and highlights in Europe, please visit the website Europe’s cultural and linguistic diversity. of the Delegation of the European The European Union Film Festival is a highly anticipated Union to Malaysia: http://eeas.europa. event for film buffs and casual movie-goers alike. The annual eu/delegations/malaysia event this year brings with it 19 critically acclaimed films selected from 15 European nations. The EUFF aims to bring its audience on a journey across cultures and borders. The EU in the World Today The European Union is a single market The EU, through its diplomatic service Visit www.euff.com.my or without internal barriers, which means the European External Action Service, www.gsc.com.my for more info. there is free circulation of goods, maintains diplomatic relations with services and capital, as well as people nearly all countries in the world, and culture. Europe has always including Malaysia, and undertakes been home to different peoples and a range of actions with strategic cultures. The EU sees ethnic and partners, key international players, cultural diversity as an asset. and emerging and developing powers. It plays important roles in diplomacy, the promotion of human rights, trade, development and humanitarian aid and working with multilateral organisations. MOVIESHISTORY OF THE EUROPEAN UNION EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL ‘19 EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL ‘19 EVENTS History of the European Union KUALA GSC Mid Valley Visionary leaders came together to create economic and political LUMPUR GSC Pavilion KL stability to ensure long term peace in Europe after the Second World War. The EU has grown from 6 to 28 Member States since GSC 1 Utama 1957 after the six founding countries - Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands - created the European Coal & Steel Community. The EU has a network of bilateral and multilateral agreements covering most countries and regions of the world and encourages free trade as a medium for growth and prosperity. It is one of the key global economic players and is the world’s largest integrated economy. It annually spends millions of euros in development and humanitarian assistance in all five continents, making it the world’s GSC Gurney Plaza largest development aid donor. PENANG Home to various races and cultures, the EU sees ethnic and cultural diversity as an asset and its people are bound together by the values of peace, democracy, prosperity, stability and the rule of law. AMBASSADOR’S FOREWORD EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL ‘19 EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL ‘19 AMBASSADOR’S FOREWORD Since we first started, the EUFF has Europe has never been just one, but brought together film enthusiasts, many cultures, languages and lifestyles. students, families and even people Through EUFF, we celebrate our cultural looking for their first foreign-language diversity. We put culture at the centre of film experience. Action, drama, romance, our international cultural relations as this comedy, adventure, family films and is an important part of the EU's role as a documentaries, we have it all. The wide global actor. range of screenings reflects European creativity and diversity and has something We hope that these movies not only for everyone's tastes. entertain, inspire and inform you about European culture but also open your The 19 films this year come from eyes to how European and Malaysian 15 European countries. The festival people are both different and similar at line-up also features films from non- the same time. This is a crucial message European Union countries Switzerland we share with Malaysia's multicultural H.E. Maria Castillo and Norway. This year, most of the films society and heritage. Fernandez are collaborations or joint-productions Ambassador & Head between European countries. Many are I hope that you will continue to support of the EU Delegation courtesy of a project by the European and celebrate European culture as we to Malaysia Commission managed by a Consortium do the same in Malaysia. Saya berharap formed by Goethe-Institut (in the lead), semua akan menikmati filem-filem Institut Français and Cineuropa, the Eropah kami ini. Selamat menonton! portal for the promotion of the European cinema. These films bring to life the fact that Europe, just like Malaysia, is united in our diversity and highlight that story- The European Union Film Festival (EUFF) telling and art have no barriers across Ambassador’s is back once again in selected Golden cultures and countries. Screen Cinemas. This year is our 20th Foreword anniversary in Malaysia and the EUFF All the films in this festival have not remains one of the most anticipated only won prestigious awards of their international film festivals in the country own countries, but they are also winners with its showcase of the dynamism, of international awards from the Tokyo breadth and innovation of contemporary International Film Festival, European European cinema, as well as the cultural Film Awards, Berlin International Film diversity of Europe, with acclaimed films Festival, and more. You can find a full list from all over Europe. of honours in this booklet. THE MOVIES EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL ‘19 EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL ‘19 THE MOVIES The Movies19 OF THE FINEST FILMS EUROPE HAS TO OFFER MOVIESKING OF THE BELGIANS EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL ‘19 EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL ‘19 SO HELP MEMOVIES GOD King of the Belgians So Help Me God Drama, Comedy, Road Movie | 94 mins | Dutch | Countries Documentary | 100 mins | French | English Subs Country English Subs Belgium Belgium This documentary follows the extraordinary, offbeat King Nicolas III is a lonely soul who feels he’s Netherlands judge Anne Gruwez and takes us behind the scenes Director living the wrong life. He embarks on a state visit to Bulgaria of real life criminal investigations. Documented Jean Libon Istanbul but a solar storm causes communications Director with 3 years' worth of footage, the team behind Yves Hinant to collapse and airspace to shut down.To make the cult TV series Strip-Tease captured what no one Peter Brosens matters worse, Turkish security coldly dismisses had dared to before. Unapologetic and politically Cast Jessica Woodworth the King’s suggestion to return home by road. But incorrect. You won’t believe your eyes. It’s not Anne Gruwez the King has no intention of waiting out the storm Cast cinema: it’s worse! and hatches a dubious escape plan that involves Lucy Debay flowery dresses and singing Bulgarians. Titus de Voogdt Bruno Georis LADA KAMENSKI EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL ‘19 EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL ‘19 WINTER FLIES (VŠECHNO BUDE) Lada Kamenski Winter Flies (Všechno Bude) Drama, Comedy | 71 mins | Croatian | English Subs Country Drama, Road Movie, Fiction | 82 mins | Czech | Country Croatia English Subs Czech Republic Frano, a film director preparing his debut feature that focuses on women affected by the collapse Director Mischievously self-assured Mára and somewhat Slovenia of the textile industry in the region, invites three Marko Šantić eccentric Heduš set out into the frozen wastes in Poland esteemed actresses to his apartment for an informal Sara Hribar search of adventure, by car. A road movie about Slovakia reading rehearsal. However, as soon as they realise the flies that occasionally buzz around even in Cast Director they are competing against each other for the lead winter, and a story that tells of the elusive bond Olmo Omerzu role, things take an unexpected turn. Ksenija Marinković of boyhood friendship and the burning desire to Nataša Dorčić experience something, even if you’re not sure what Cast Doris Šarić-Kukuljica that something is. Tomás Mrvík Jan Frantisek Uher Eliska Krenková 10 AILO’S JOURNEY (AÏLO: UNE ODYSSÉE EN LAPONIE) EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL ‘19 EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL ‘19 LES INVISIBLES Ailo’s Journey Les Invisibles (Aïlo: Une odyssée en Laponie) Documentary | 87 mins | Finnish | English Subs Country Drama, Comedy | 103 mins | French | English Subs Country Finland France This documentary follows the incredible adventure In three months a homeless shelter for women of a newborn reindeer in Lapland. Throughout this Director is set to close as the result of an administration Director one-year-long migration over hundreds of miles in Guillaume decision. The social workers running the centre will Louis-Julien Petit the frozen immensity of the taiga, Ailo encounters do whatever it takes to reintegrate the women back Maidatchevsky Cast many of the flora and fauna and makes friends and into society. They have no protocol, everything is