On the last night of the Focus on Europe event at the Giffoni Film Festival (Giffoni, Italy), Saturday 19 July, within the framework of the International Festival of Giffoni, MEDIA Salles presented an award to the cinemas that have distinguished themselves for the quality of their initiatives for promoting interest in the cinema amongst young audiences.

The first prize was presented to Cinéma Méliès of Nemours (France), for the ability to combine the offer of quality European films to the attention to cinema and cultural development of the young audience, also interacting with the local situation; the second prize went to Cinema Cicolella of San Severo (Italy), for succeeding in integrating a nationwide project such as the David di Donatello - Schools, with original initiatives promoting the cinema itself. To Ciné 220 of Brétigny sur Orge (France) was presented the third prize, for the close links between the attention to the educational development of young audiences and promotion of cinema-going itself, in particular through the use of Internet.

Still with a view to encouraging the circulation of quality products for young people, an award was presented to the Finnish and Norwegian co-production One-Way Ticket to Mombasa (Menolippu Mombasaan), first full-length film by the Finnish director Hannu Tuomainen, who is also its producer - for Cinemaker Oy. The film, judged to be an excellent example of production suitable for young people, both as regard the content and the language and considered to have high potential for international distribution, has already been very successful in its home country with around 150,000 tickets sold in 10 months. International sales are managed by the Swedish Nonstop Sales.

At Focus on Europe, dedicated to exhibitors who arrange specific programming for young people and schools, were present, from 17th to 20th July, about 50 operators coming from different parts of Europe - from Portugal to Finland, from the United Kingdom to the Netherlands. Amongst the topics covered in the seminars were: the use of European film heritage in series for schools; the promotion of cinemas also outside theatres; how to create synergy with schools. MEDIA Salles also presented the services offered on the Website with particular reference to the Euro Kids section, a catalogue of films for children and the new activities for exhibitors organised by the Association.

The participants had the opportunity to attend the screening of a selection of recently produced European films especially chosen for them by the organizers of the Giffoni Film Festival, to watch pre-screenings of films selected from the titles competing in the various sections (such as "Wondrous Oblivion" and "Science Fiction") and to meet the young spectators sitting alongside them in the auditorium.

For further information:
MEDIA Salles
Tel.: 02.66984405 - Fax: 02.6691574
E-mail: infocinema@mediasalles.it

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