14th Vilnius international film festival starting on 19 March this year for the first time in its history will introduce the competition programme “New Europe - New Names”. Eight debut films made by the film directors of the New Europe, i.e. the Eastern and Central Europe and the Balkans.

“One of the main criteria raised for the international film festivals is a competition programme including films which are assessed by the international jury. For this step the festival has been prepared for a long time and with great responsibility”said Vida Ramaskiene, the director of the festival.

The films by Latvian, Estonian, Bulgarian, Hungarian, Croatian, Slovak and Bosnian directors will compete in the competition programme “New Europe - New Names”. The programme includes only debut films, i.e. directors‘first or second films.
As the director of the festival states such a geographical selection of the competition programme was made in order to contribute to the promotion of young filmmakers of the developing countries.

“Most of the films selected for the competition programme are from such countries as Lithuania, where is difficult to get funding for filmmaking. We believe that the promotion of the names of young directors will help them in the future to receive funding for their new film projects, which will be worth even greater awards”says Vida Ramaskiene.

All the films selected for the competition programme were created in 2007 and 2008. Most of the participants of this programme had been well evaluated by critics and awarded in their own countries.

“Attila Gigor, a discovery of Hungarian cinema, for a debut film ”The Investigator “ has been awarded 4 prizes in the Hungarian Film Week and the prize of the Film Critics Association in Warsaw. Whereas a Bulgarian director Jarov Gardev for his film ” ZIFT“ has been awarded as the best debut film director presented in Moscow las year. His film has been compared to the masterpieces of Quentin Tarantin and Coen brothers” told Greta Akcijonaitė, the coordinator of the competition programme, about the participants of this programme.

The programme “New Europe – New Names” also includes the film “Music” directed by the Slovak director Juraj Nvota, the winner of 9 from 14 nominations of the national prize, a criminal drama “No one's son” directed by Arsen A. Ostojic, the winner of the best Croatian film and a nominee for the “Oscar”, the comedy of Stefan Komandarev “The World Is Big and Salvation Lurks around the Corner”, and Estonian and Latvian films “Taarka” by Ain Mäeots and “Amateur ” directed by Janis Nords.

So far none of the Lithuanian films is included in the competition programme. The director of the film festival Vida Ramaskiene regrets the economic crisis which has not bypassed Lithuanian filmmakers as well. “In relation to the economic crisis Sarunas Bartas and Saulius Drunga have not finished their works on time. We greatly expected to present their films in the competition programme”said Vida Ramaskiene.

The best film of the competition programme “New Europe – New Names”will be awarded a cash prize. The winners of the second and the third places will be given special jury prizes. The names of the jury will be presented soon.

Introduction of the competition programme is not the only achievement of the film festival this year. Vilnius international film festival has become a member of the CICAE, the intenational association of non-commercial cinemas and festivals.