As the European Parliament’s LUX Film Prize came to an end in late November, the general feeling was that the competitive strength of European film is one that evokes passion and courage in telling powerful real-life stories.

The ninth edition of the LUX Prize award ceremony crowned Mustang by Deniz Gamze Ergüven at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on November 24.

Mustang won the 2015 European Parliament LUX Prize for cinema. Directed by Deniz Gamze Ergüven, the film tells the story of five sisters in a small village on Turkey’s Black Sea coast who have been promised to husbands through arranged marriages but, determined to live their own lives, break the yoke of tradition. The film has been selected as the French entry for the best foreign language film category at the upcoming Oscars.

Labour MEP Marlene Mizzi, who is a member of the Culture and Education Committee responsible for the LUX Film Prize, said: “Since 2007, the LUX Film Prize has given recognition to some of the best European films. With this year’s winner Mustang, LUX strengthens the notion that cinema must highlight social issues such as female emancipation which unfortunately still resonates till this day incertain societies.

“Reading what’s going on in newspapers and the web is good but seeing a visual story such as Mustang inspires people to reflect and discuss, unlike commercial cinema. These films are very important to make us aware of important issues.”

Mizzi also contributed to the film ballot vote.

The other two films on the shortlist for the 2015 prize were Mediterranea by Jonas Carpignano and Urok (The Lesson) by Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov. They will benefit from the LUX Film Prize by being distributed across Europe and will be subtitled in the EU’s 24 official languages.

The cinema is the mirror of each country; we must have more film education so people speak about films

Mediterranea was inspired by the real-life tragedy of refugees crossing the Mediterranean in search of a better life and the 2010 Rosarno race riots in southern Italy.

Mizzi said: “Mediterranea raises powerful issues on the plight of migrants and will undoubtedly instigate a Europe-wide debate and discussion on major societal issues.”

Urok (The Lesson) takes place in a small Bulgarian town where a young teacher gets in debt to loan sharks, and has to find a way out of her situation.

“Urok asks fundamental questions on how the economic crisis has affected everyone together and how to avoid a situation where a decent human being becomes a criminal. The films that have been selected this year have the capacity to engage people in a profound and meaningful dialogue and for this reason the LUX Film Prize has been used as a tool for cultural diplomacy. These European films deserve our support and I am proud that the European Parliament is again this year helping to show these films as widely as possible,” said Mizzi.

The protagonists of Mustang.

During the LUX Film Prize Cinema Education seminar, the chair of the Committee on Culture and Education Silvia Costa said: “The LUX Film Prize is laying the foundations of a common language through European cinema, where people from across Europe can be inspired, to understand and explore films which contribute to the European film industry.”

Film director and president of Cinémathèque Française, Costa Gavras, said: “The cinema is the mirror of each country; we must have more film education so people speak about films. When youngsters watch films, they are astonished at the big screen. We can’t have a European identity if we don’t know one another.”

The LUX winner is selected every year by the members of the European Parliament.

• Mustang, Mediterranea and Urok (The Lesson) are beingshown at St James Cavalier between today and Sunday. For more information and tickets visit www.kreattivita.org/en/event/lux-film-prize-2015/