Paris, France film festival From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The European Independent Film Festival is an annual international film festival dedicated to independent cinema. Held in Paris, France, it was created in 2006 by Scott Hillier.
Quality, innovation, and creativity are judged in 14 categories, 7 of which are open to non-European filmmakers (from the Americas, Australia, Africa, and Asia), and compete for 25 awards. Jury members come from all around the globe and have a variety of backgrounds.
The founder and president of ÉCU, Scott Hillier, is a Paris-based Australian filmmaker. He gained international recognition[citation needed] from his cinematography, editing, writing producing and directing portfolio and served as Director of Photography on the documentary Twin Towers which won an Academy Award in 2003.
The 18th edition of ÉCU was held on April 14–16, 2023 in Paris, France.
As well as the film screenings, festival attendees can participate in a wide variety of workshops and events. Following each screening session, 'Meet-the-Directors' discussions are held in which audience members pose questions directly to the filmmakers. There is also a full program of live music[1] hosted by ÉCU's partner Access Film-Music at the festival after-parties.
Poster for ÉCU 2020, the confinement edition
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Categories
The festival comprises both European and non-European films.
European Categories
Dramatic Feature
Dramatic Short
Documentary
Animated Film
Music Video
Experimental Film
Comedy Film
Non-European Categories
Dramatic Feature
Dramatic Short
Documentary
Worldwide Categories
Student Film
Much More than a Script Competition
Arab Special Selection
Workshops
Workshops are held at every festival edition.
During the festival, workshops are available to all attendees and are conducted by professionals in the film making industry.
Music
ÉCU is a strong supporter of musicians. Along the usual film festival activities, live music can be heard throughout the entirety of the weekend.
Q&A session
After each screening, the audience has the opportunity to meet the directors and participate in a Question and Answer session. Where they will have the opportunity to directly ask questions to the filmmakers and to discuss in detail the difficulties and highlights of the process of film creation.
ÉCU-on-the-road
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Every year, the festival travels around the world making sure the "Official Selection" directors and films are made known.
All this has been possible through the help of over 50 (and quickly growing) partner festivals, cultural centers and film commissions around the globe. During these events, some of the "Official Selection" films are screened, which furthers the size of the directors audience.
ÉCU-on-the-road events
More information Place, date ...
Place
date
Balinale, Indonesia
September 24–29, 2019
Special Screening in Toulon, France
September 12&15, 2019
Arkadia Shortfest, Romania
August 13–17, 2019
Cabriolet Film Festival in Beirut, Lebanon
June 7–9, 2019
Special Screening in Grand Café Bataclan
February 27, 2019
ÉCU-in-Istanbul
December 24, 2018
So Independent Film Festival, Bulgaria
October 26 - November 3, 2018
ÉCU in Russian Indie Film Festival
October 6–7, 2018
Screening in Mumbai with Alliance Française de Bombay, India
Naperville Independent Film Festival, United States
September 23–30, 2017
ÉCU-in-Viseu
June 7–9, 2017
Vault Film Festival, UK
January 28–29, March 4–5, 2017
Cinema Jam November Session, UK
November 21, 2016
Aesthetica Short Film Festival, UK
November 3–6, 2016
American Film Market, US
November 2– 9, 2016
Evolution! Mallorca International Film Festival, Spain
November 3–12, 2016
NDU International Film Festival, Lebanon
November 6–11, 2016
International Short Film Festival of Cyprus, Cyprus
October 15–21, 2016
Zurich Film Festival, Switzerland
September 22–October 2, 2016
Arkadia ShortFest, Romania
September 2–4, 2016
Naperville Independent Film Festival, US
September 10–17, 2016
International Film Festival of Patmos, Greece
July 21–27, 2016
Cabriolet Film Festival, Beirut, Lebanon
June 3–5 13–15, 2016
NDU International Film Festival, Beirut
November 15–22, 2015
Clare Valley Film Festival, Australia
November 13–15, 2015
Qabila film festival, Egypt
October 8–10, 2015
Tyrolean Independent Filmfestival/TyIFF, Austria
September 18, 2015
Naperville Independent Film Festival, US
September 12–19, 2015
ÉCU-in-Viseu, Portugal
August 13–15, 2015
Arkadia Short Film Festival, Romania
July 3–5, 2015
MashRome Film Festival, Italy
July 1–3, 2015
ÉCU-in-Viseu, Portugal
June, 2015
Clare Valley Film Festival, Australia
May 30, 2015
Cabriolet Film Festival, Lebanon
May 29–31, 2015
ÉCU-in-Cannes, France
May 17–24, 2015
Vault Film Festival, London
February 7;14;21;28, 2015
ÉCU-in-São Paulo, Brazil
January 29 – February 4, 2015
ÉCU-in-Berlin, Germany
January 14–15, 2015
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Past Editions
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ÉCU 2024
The 19th ÉCU - The European Independent Film Festival took place from 19 to 21 April 2024.
More information Category, Winner ...
Category
Winner
Best European Independent Film 2024
Wild Summon, Karni Arieli & Saul Freed
Best European Independent Dramatic Short 2024
Bus From Adana, Jochem de Vries
Best European Independent Dramatic Feature 2024
Alias Wolf, Oscar Spierenburg & Tobias Spierenburg
Best European Independent Documentary 2024
AYITI, a Haitian Story Clément Beauvois, Kevin Duval, Valentin Gaffie, Alexis Pautler
Best European Independent Animated Film 2024
Purga, Gintarė Valevičiūtė Brazauskienė. & Antanas Skučas
Best European Independent Comedy 2024
KOEKOEK! - Jörgen Scholtens (Netherlands)
Best European Experimental Film 2024
Soma, Arturo Bandinelli
Best European Independent Music Video 2024
Ren – Money Game Part 3, Ren Gill & Samuel Perry-Falvey
Best Non-European Independent Dramatic Short 2024
It Turns Blue, Shadi Karamroudi
Best Non-European Independent Dramatic Feature 2024
X Kills Me, Ding ZiJun
Best Non-European Independent Documentary 2024
Grasshopper Republic, Daniel McCabe
Best Student Film 2024
Push, Anastasia Seregina
Best Feature Script 2024
The Prodigal, Written by Thomas O’Malley
Best Short Script 2024
Comment J’ai Perdu Mon Ongle De Pouce, Written by Siham Medjahed
Best Actor 2024
They Call Me Chino, Actor: Manel Llunell
Best Actress 2024
Breakfast Of Champions, Actress: Sabrina Robinson
Best Editing 2024
Exit, Editor: Reza Abiyat
Best Cinematography 2024
Through Gloom, Cinematographer: Milda Juodvalkytė
Best Director 2024
The Moon Rises, Gaspard Vignon
Special Jury Mention 2024
Dead Man Walking (DMW), Jacob Polat
Special Jury Mention 2024
I C U, Vincent Zhou
Audience Award 2024
John Adams. Get Up The Yard, Jose Ángel Catalán Ruiz
The Ahmed Khedr Award for Excellence in Arab Filmmaking 2024
Saleh, Zaki Alabdullah
Excellence in Women's Filmmaking
Seize the Summit, Arwa Damon & Binnur Karaevli
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ÉCU prize 2019
ÉCU 2019
The 15th ÉCU - The European Independent Film Festival took place from 23 to 26 April 2020. Due to COVID-19 pandemic the festival took place online, with the films being screened on the festival's website, followed by the recorded Q&A sessions with the directors.
More information Category, Winner ...
Category
Winner
Best European Independent Film 2020
THE MANCHADOR - Kaveh Tehrani (Norway)
Best European Independent Dramatic Short 2020
GEORGE THE DOG, REFUGEE - Tomasz Wiński (Czech Republic)
Best European Independent Dramatic Feature 2020
SHIBIL - Nikola Bozadzhiev (Bulgaria)
Best European Independent Documentary 2020
SHADOWS OF LIGHT - Walter Fanninger (Austria)
Best European Independent Animated Film 2020
MIND MY MIND - Floor Adams (Netherlands)
Best European Independent Comedy 2020
KOEKOEK! - Jörgen Scholtens (Netherlands)
Best European Experimental Film 2020
THEM - Robin Lochmann (Germany)
Best European Independent Music Video 2020
ADAGIO FOR STRINGS AND STORM - Ivan Yudin (Russian Federation)
Best Non-European Independent Dramatic Short 2020
FUNFAIR - Kaveh Mazaheri (Iran)
Best Non-European Independent Dramatic Feature 2020
The Journey of a Murder - Jun Wang (China)
Best Non-European Independent Documentary 2020
AMAZING GRACE - Lynn Montgomery (US)
Best Student Film 2020
MY CAT AS SOCRATES - Villő Krisztics (Hungary)
Best Feature Script 2020
BRIDGE BY THE EARTHEN HOUSE - Paul Hunt (UK)
Best Short Script 2020
TIME MUSEUM - Gahee Lee (US)
Best Actor 2020
Chis Schultz in DORRIS 85 by Grace Philips (US)
Best Actress 2020
Fatou Mbemgue in LA GITA by Salvatore Allocca (Italy)
Best Editing 2020
Liu Kai Qi - BATHHOUSE DRUMMER; directed by Treey Liu (China)
Best Cinematography 2020
Daniel Lindholm - ELECTRIC LITANY - SEALIGHT; directed by Sakari Lerkkanen (UK)
Best Director 2020
Raúl Koler and Emiliano Sette - ANACRONTE (Argentina)
Special Jury Mention 2020
CALIFORNIA ON FIRE - Jeff Frost (US)
Special Jury Mention 2020
NO, I DON'T WANT TO DANCE - Andrea Vinciguerra (UK)
Audience Award 2020
THE CALL CENTRE - Louisa Connolly-Burnham (UK)
The Ahmed Khedr Award for Excellence in Arab Filmmaking 2020
The 14th ÉCU - The European Independent Film Festival took place from 5–7 April 2019 at Cinema Les 7 Parnassiens in Paris. The participants of the festival enjoyed the screening of 79 independent films, workshops dedicated to the filmmaking industry together with #sheshoots, a discussion panel focused on women filmmakers and actresses. In addition, there was the possibility to meet the directors and asked them everything about their film. Afterparties and live music performances were organised to close every day of the festival.
ÉCU 2019 poster
The winners of ÉCU - The European Independent Film Festival 2019:
More information Category, Winner ...
Category
Winner
Best European Independent Film 2019
PIGGY - Carlota Martínez Pereda (Spain)
Best European Independent Dramatic Short 2019
SYDNEY - Paul Wyett (UK)
Best European Independent Dramatic Feature 2019
RWANDA - Riccardo Salvetti (Italy)
Best European Independent Documentary 2019
THE QUIET REBEL - Carole Cassier (France)
Best European Independent Animated Film 2019
AUGENBLICKE - A BLINK OF AN EYE - Kiana Naghshineh (Germany)
Best European Independent Comedy 2019
PATER FAMILIAS - Giacomo Boeri (Italy)
Best European Experimental Film 2019
EL HOR - Diane Lucille Campbell (UK)
Best European Independent Music Video 2019
BIRTHPLACE - Jorik Dozy, Sil van der Woerd (Netherlands, Indonesia)
Best Non-European Independent Dramatic Short 2019
THE MOUSE - Liat Akta (Israel)
Best Non-European Independent Dramatic Feature 2019
The Ahmed Khedr Award for Excellence in Arab Filmmaking 2019
FACES IN THE SU] - Farah Shaer (Lebanon, US)
Excellence in Women's Filmmaking
JOC - Andreea Valean (Romania)
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ÉCU 2018
The 13th ÉCU - The European Independent Film Festival took place from May 4–6 at Cinema Les 7 Parnassiens in Paris. 81 films from 37 countries were screened during the 3-day festival.
During the festival weekend, international audiences were exposed to film and their filmmakers from across a spectrum of experiences, cultures, and genres. The Director Q&A sessions provided a setting for discussion between the audience and the directors on filmmaking, while after-parties throughout Paris extended these conversations into the fueled early morning hours. ÉCU endeavours to provide a cultural platform not only for entertainment but also for active networking across the independent film world.
Here are the winners of ÉCU - The European Independent Film Festival 2018:
Too Much Info Clouding Over My Head - Vasilis Christofilakis (Greece)
Audience Award 2018
Béa - José Esteban Pavlovich Salido (Mexico)
The Ahmed Khedr Award for Excellence in Arab Filmmaking 2018
Wasati - Ali Kalthami (Saudi Arabia)
Excellence in Women's Filmmaking
The Elephant - Suraya Raja (UK)
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ÉCU 2017
The 12th ÉCU - The European Independent Film Festival took place from 21st to 23 April 2017 at Cinema Les 7 Parnassiens in Paris. 73 films from 28 countries were screened during the 3 day festival. In addition, the audience attended '#SheShoots - Female Filmmakers in Conversation' discussion panel.
Here are the winners of ÉCU - The European Independent Film Festival 2017:
More information Category, Winner ...
Category
Winner
Best European Independent Film 2017
Cubs - Nanna Kristín Magnúsdóttir (Iceland)
Best European Independent Dramatic Short 2017
Emily Must Wait - Christian Wittmoser (Germany)
Best European Independent Dramatic Feature 2017
Rage - Michał Wegrzyn (Poland)
Best European Independent Documentary 2017
Refugee Blues - Stephan Bookas, Tristan Daws (United Kingdom/ Germany)
Best European Independent Animation 2017
Late Season - Daniela Leitner (Austria)
Best Experimental Film 2017
Rhythm of Being - Giada Ghiringhelli (United Kingdom)
Best European Independent Music Video 2017
I Got Myself A Finish (Tom Rosenthal) - Thomas Vernay (France)
The Ahmed Khedr Award for Excellence in Arab Filmmaking 2017
Sing For Me - Sama Waham (Canada)
Excellence in Women's Filmmaking
Standby - Charlotte Regan (United Kingdom)
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ÉCU 2016
The 11th Annual ÉCU - The European Independent Film Festival took place from April 8 to 10 at Cinéma Les 7 Parnassiens, 75014 Paris. 77 films from 31 countries were screened over 3 days. Films competed across 14 categories and were judged according to their quality, creativity, and independent spirit in both form and content.
More information Category, Winner ...
Category
Winner
Best European Independent Film 2016
The Chicken - Una Gunjak (Croatia/Germany)
Best European Independent Dramatic Short 2016
Horseface - Marc Martinez Jordán (Spain)
Best European Independent Dramatic Feature 2016
Vanitas - Oscar Spierenburg (Belgium)
Best European Independent Documentary 2016
I Women in Sin] - Iris Zaki (United Kingdom/ Israel)
Best European Independent Animation 2016
The Old Man and the Bird - Dennis Stein-Schomburg (Germany)
Best European Independent Experimental Film 2016
Refugees - Eduardo Hernandez Perez & Hans Jaap Melissen (The Netherlands)
Best European Independent Music Video 2016
Circles - Helen Takkin (Estonia)
Best Independent Comedy 2016
Discipline - Christophe M. Saber (Switzerland)
Best Non-European Independent Dramatic Short 2016
Thunder Road - Jim Cummings (US)
Best Non-European Independent Dramatic Feature 2016
Life on the Border - Basmeh Soleiman, Delovan Kekha, Diar Omar, Hazem Khodeideh, Mahmod Ahmad, Ronahi Ezaddin, Sami Hossein, & Zohour Saeid (Syrian Arab Iraq/Syria)
While You Were Away - Ben Mallaby (United Kingdom)
The Ahmed Khedr Award for Excellence in Arab Filmmaking 2016
Little Gandhi - Sam Kadi (Turkey/US/Syria)
Excellence in Women's Filmmaking
Until 20 - Jamila Paksima & Geraldine Moriba (US)
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ÉCU 2015
The 10th Annual European Independent Film Festival took place from April 10 to 12 at Cinéma Les 7 Parnassiens, 75014 Paris. During the 3 days screening, it showed 84 films from 32 countries and then came up with the award-winning list. This year's "ÉCU-on-the-Road", ÉCU went to São Paulo, Brazil, from January 29 to February 4; and Berlin, Germany, from January 14 to 15. Each event showcased more than 20 independent films.
More information Category, Winner ...
Category
Winner
Best European Independent Film 2015
Here Lies - Duncan Ward (United Kingdom)
Best European Independent Dramatic Short 2015
The Anklet - Guillaume Levil (France)
Best European Independent Dramatic Feature 2015
Roseville - Martin Makariev (Bulgaria)
Best European Independent Documentary 2015
Gazi to Gezi – A Stones Throw Away - Ross Domoney (United Kingdom)
Best European Independent Animation 2015
Mend And Make Do - Bexie Bush (United Kingdom)
Best European Independent Experimental Film 2015
Out of Reach (Rain Night) - Pablo Diartinez (Belgium)
Best European Independent Music Video 2015
Entomophobia - Robin Rippmann (United Kingdom)
Best Independent Comedy 2015
De Smet - Thomas Baerten & Wim Geudens (Belgium / Netherlands)
Best Non-European Independent Dramatic Short 2015
Catching Fireflies - Lee Whittaker (US)
Best Non-European Independent Dramatic Feature 2015
Flytrap] - Stephen David Brooks (US)
Best Non-European Independent Documentary 2015
Trip Along Exodus - Hind Shoufani (Syrian Arab Republic/Lebanon)
Best Student Film 2015
Exit Neverland - Chadi Abdul-Karim (Denmark)
Best Short Script 2015
Long Road Home - Richard Flynn (United Kingdom)
Best Feature Script 2015
The Competitors - Ruth Greenberg (United Kingdom)
Best Actor 2015
Roseville - Kalin Vrachanski (Bulgaria)
Best Actress 2015
Sophie at the Races - Siobhán O'Kelly (Ireland)
Best Editing 2015
Being an Angel - Luigi Abanto Varese (Spain)
Best Cinematography 2015
127 - Leigh Elford (New Zealand)
Best Director 2015
Before the Bomb - Tannaz Hazemi (US)
Special Jury Mention 2015
Oh! My Princess - Heewook SA (Republic of Korea)
Special Jury Mention 2015
The Barbiers Blade - Hakan Can (Germany)
Special Jury Mention 2015
Touch - Andrew Richardson (United Kingdom)
Audience Award 2015
1 The Dandelion - Sophie-Clémentine Dubois (Belgium)
The Ahmed Khedr Award for Excellence in Arab Filmmaking 2015
Amongst - Mohammed Alsalman (Saudi Arabia)
Excellence in Women's Filmmaking
Final Stroke - Anne Chlosta (Germany)
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ÉCU 2014
The 9th Annual European Independent Film Festival took place from April 4 to 6 at Cinéma Les 7 Parnassiens, 75014 Paris.
As well as the film screenings, festival attendees had the opportunity to participate in an array of workshops as well as a series of 'Meet the Directors' panel discussions, in which the audience pose questions directly to the filmmakers. There was also a full program of live music hosted by ÉCU's partner Access Film-Music.
More information Category, Winner ...
Category
Winner
Best European Independent Film 2014
216 Months - Valentin and Fréderic Potier (France)
Best European Independent Dramatic Short 2014
Blind Squad - Vlad Fenesan (Romania)
Best European Independent Dramatic Feature 2014
The Enemy Within - Yorgos Tsemberopoulos (Greece)
Best European Independent Documentary 2014
Sickfuchpeople - Juri Rechinsky (Austria)
Best European Independent Animation
Drag Me - Nikos Kellis (Greece)
Best European Independent Experimental Film
Second Wind - Sergey Tsyss (Russia)
Best European Independent Music Video
Sandra Kolstad – Run Away - Yenni Lee (Norway)
Best European Independent Comedy
Great - Andreas Henn (Germany)
Best non-European Independent Dramatic Short 2014
Humor - Tal Zagreba (Israel)
Best non-European Independent Dramatic Feature 2014
The Preacher's Daughter - Michelle Mower (US)
Best non-European Independent Documentary 2014
Not Anymore: A Story of Revolution - Matthew VanDyke (US)
Best Student Film
Deserted (Israel) - Yoav Hornung (Israel)
Best Short Script
Before The Bomb - Tannaz Hazemi and James Grimaldi (Iran)
Best Feature Script
Yellow Dragon and the Red Fox - Anthony Etherington (UK)
Best Actor
Say Nothing - Ed Stoppard (UK)
Best Actress
Chains of Love - Lotta Doll (Germany)
Best Editing
My Past Life - Sebastian Lindblad (Sweden)
Best Cinematography
Portraits of Mistresses - Jean-François Hensgens (France)
You Can't Write a Letter - Guillaume Levil (France)
Audience Award
Battlecock! - Ben Mallaby (UK)
The Ahmed Khedr Award for Excellence in Arab Filmmaking
7 Hours - Farah Alhashim (Lebanon)
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ÉCU 2013
ÉCU 2013- The 8th Annual European Independent Film Festival took place from March 29 to March 31 and showcased 109 films from 35 countries. The festival was located at the principal cinema Les 7 Parnassiens; film screenings and professional workshops about screenwriting, directing, editing, acting, and sound mixing were held at Cinéma Action Christine. The Arab Section was held at Cinéma Lincoln.
More information Category, Winner ...
Category
Winner
Best European Independent Film
Othello - Hammudi Al-Rahmoun Font (Spain)
Best Independent Experimental Film
Kore - Eric Dinkian (France)
Best European Independent Comedy Film
Island Queen - Ben Mallaby (UK)
Best Student Film
Martha Must Fly - Ma'ayan Rypp (Israel)
Best Independent Music Video
I've Only Just Begun - Elias Koskimies (Finland)
Best Independent Animation
I am Tom Moody - Ainslie Henderson (UK)
Best European Independent Documentary
Moving Gracefully Towards the Exit - Jean-Bernard Andro, Patrice Regnier (France // US)
Best European Independent Dramatic Short
82 - Calum Macdiarmid (UK)
Best European Independent Dramatic Feature
Girl Shaped Love Drug - Simon Powell (UK)
Best Non-European Independent Documentary
Cavedigger - Jeffrey Karoff (USA)
Best Non-European Independent Dramatic Feature
Motivational Growth - Don Thacker (US)
Best Non-European Independent Dramatic Short
Buzkashi Boys - Sam French (Afghanistan // US)
Ahmed Khedr Award for Excellence in Arab Filmmaking
A Tempo: The 3rd Act - Maria Abdel Karim (Lebanon)
Best Short Script
This Vehicle Has Been Checked for Sleeping Children - John Burdeaux (US)
Best Feature Script
The Last Waltz of Vienna - Brian Weakland (US)
The European Youth Excellence Award in Filmmaking
A Mile In Our Shoes - MFC Study Support Centre (UK)