In 2007, the European Parliament launched the Lux Film Prize, an award intended to showcase films produced or co-produced within the EU. As a rule, the films selected focus on social and political issues, thus contributing towards cementing the European identity and its values, diversity, and integration.

Winning the Lux Film Prize is not merely an honour, but is a guarantee of distribution, especially in leading film festivals. The top three films are translated into the 24 languages spoken in the 28 member states and subtitled accordingly.

Many of the past winners have benefited from publicity generated by the award and gone on to become major international hits. And, every year for the past few years, the three finalists in competition tour cinemas across Europe. This year, each film will be screened in more than 50 cities in the 28 European states in an event known as Lux Film Days.

This year’s films include Á Peine J’ouvre Les Yeux (As I Open My Eyes) – a  France/ Tunisia/Belgium/United Arab Emirates co-production, Ma vie de Courgette (My Life As a Courgette) – a Swiss/French co-production and Toni Erdmann, from Germany, Austria, and Romania.

Directed by Tunisian director Leyla Bouzid and written by Bouzid and Marie-Sophie Chambon, Á Peine J’ouvre Les Yeux is set in Tunis in the summer of 2010, a few months before the Revolution. Farah, (Baya Medhaffer) is an18-year-old recent graduate and her family already sees her as a future doctor. But Farah doesn’t think the same way. She sings in a political rock band. She has a passion for life, gets drunk, and discovers love and her city by night against the will of her mother Hayet, who knows Tunisia and its dangers too well.

The top three films are translated into the 24 languages spoken in the 28 member states and subtitled accordingly

The animated Ma vie de Courgette is written by Céline Sciamma and directed by Claude Barras. The film tells the story of the uniquely-named Zucchini. After his mother’s sudden death, Zucchini is befriended by a kind police officer Raymond, who accompanies Zucchini to his new foster home filled with other orphans his age.

At first Zucchini struggles to find his place in this strange, at times, hostile environment. Yet, with Raymond’s help and his new found friends, Zucchini eventually learns to trust, finds true love and at last a new family of his own.

Tony Erdmann

Toni Erdmann, written and directed by Maren Ade traces the reunion of Winfried (Peter Simonischek) and his daughter Ines (Sandra Hüller).

Winfried doesn’t see much of Ines. The suddenly student-less music teacher decides to surprise her with a visit after the death of his old dog. It’s bad timing for Ines, a career woman working in Bucharest. The geographical change doesn’t help the two see eye to eye.

Practical joker Winfried loves to annoy his daughter with his corny pranks. What’s worse are his little jabs at her routine lifestyle of long meetings, hotel bars and performance reports. Father and daughter reach an impasse and Winfried agrees to return home to Germany.

Enter flashy Toni Erdmann, Winfried’s smooth-talking alter ego. Heavily disguised, Toni barges into Ines’ professional life, claiming to be her CEO’s life coach. As Toni, Winfried is bolder and doesn’t hold back, but Ines meets the challenge. The harder they push, the closer they become. In all the madness, Ines begins to understand that her eccentric father might deserve some place in her life after all.

The three finalists were shortlisted by a panel of 21 film professionals from 10 European co-productions competing in the 2016 LUX Prize Official Selection.

The Lux films will be shown at Spazju Kreattiv, Valletta, as follows:

November 25
My Life as a Courgette – 6pm
Toni Erdmann - 8.30pm
November 26  
As I Open My Eyes - 6pm
Toni Erdmann - 8.30pm
November 27
My Life as a Courgette - 6pm
As I Open My Eyes - 8.30pm

In Gozo, the films will be screened at the Oratory Cinema as follows:
December 2 at 8.30pm: As I Open My Eyes
December 3 at 6pm: My Life As a Courgette
December 3 at 8pm: Toni Erdmann

Entrance is free, but booking is necessary. Bookings for Malta screenings may be secured via www.kreattivita.org. Gozo may be booked via e-mail aedemalta@gmail.com or by calling 9945 6851.