November 22, 2012 (KHARTOUM) - The fourth European Film Festival in Sudan was launched in Khartoum on Tuesday by Sudan’s Minister of Culture and Information, Ahmed Bilal Osman at the offices of the European Union Delegation.

This year’s festival will feature films from Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and United Kingdom. For the first time, seven Sudanese films will be shown.

Twenty European films will be shown between 21 November to 2 December, including Oscar awarding winning French silent film The Artist.

The Head of Delegation of the European Union to Sudan said that as well as being involved through various cultural centres, Europe is also taking part in archaeological missions, cultural exchange programs and funding of cultural projects in Sudan. Cultural cooperation and dialogue between Sudan and Europe, was important Ambassador Tomas Ulicny stressed.

Sudan’s Minister of Culture and Information, Ahmed Bilal Osman. (Source: European Union Delegation to Sudan)

Minister Osman said that cinema was an important art form and praised the role of European cultural centres in training and teaching in Sudan. The films will be shown at the Goethe Institut, Institut français and the British Council, which hosted UK musician ESKA at the Sudan National Museum earlier this month.

Also speaking at the opening ceremony, Lilli Kobler, the Director of the German cultural centre - the Goethe Institut - said the event had developed over the past three years.

Some of the directors of the European films have traveled to attend the screenings and answer questions from the audience.

(ST)

The full programme of the event can be downloaded below.

Programme of the fourth European Film Festival in Khartoum, Sudan 21 Nov. - 2 Dec. 2012