The 23^rd edition of the European Film Festival in Lebanon, organised by the EU Delegation in collaboration with the embassies and cultural institutes of the EU Member States, will take place from 26 January to 6 February 2017 at the Cinema Metropolis Empire Sofil (Ashrafieh) in Beirut.

The Festival is also scheduled to take place in Nabatieh (5-7 February), Tyre (8-10 February), Deir el Qamar (7-10 February), Zahle (13-16 February), Baalbeck (16-17 February), Jounieh (13-20 February) and Tripoli (22-25 February).

The programme of this edition includes a wide variety of screenings and events:

• 34 recent long feature films from the EU, allowing the audience to view prize-winning films screened at major international festivals, as well as the first or second productions of promising directors.
• 2 feature films in tribute to Andrzej Wajda, the prominent Polish director who passed away last October.
• 1 feature film from Switzerland, Serbia and Ukraine respectively, the Festival’s guest countries this year.
• 12 short films produced by students of 12 Lebanese audiovisual schools, which will be screened during a special show “La soirée des courts métrages d’étudiants libanais” that will conclude with the awarding of 2 Best Short Films.

Among the long feature films, the European Film Festival proposes 2 films for young audience. The European Film Festival also invites children from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds and refugees to these screenings.

In order to encourage young talents, the Festival will, for the 16^th consecutive year, award two prizes for the short films made by students from the Lebanese audio-visual schools. The winners will be offered the opportunity to attend a leading international short film festival in Europe.

Read more

Press release

EU Delegation to Lebanon – website and Facebook page

EU Neighbours South webpage – Lebanon