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Linz’s European film festival focuses on fresh young indie auteur filmmaking
Over seven days, film buffs were offered selected feature films and documentaries. The two main events were Panorama Europa, which staged numerous Austrian premieres of outstanding new works from all over the continent, and the European Cinema competition with a €10,000 first prize. Additional highlights were the awarding of the RAY Audience Award and the Local Artist Award. Each year, the Festival honors an outstanding cinematic auteur—in 2009, Swiss directors Ursula Meier and Lionel Baier, who presented their substantial oeuvre of short films, documentaries and features. Specials included close-up looks at the world of work, at music and youth subcultures, and at the Austrian film industry’s latest productions. The nightly entertainment/socializing lineup featured a wide array of musical acts. EXTRA EUROPA invited guest stars and representatives of selected film festivals in Turkey, Norway and Switzerland to Linz. Norwegian film and media artist Inger Lise Hansen produced a new work as artist in residence.
The good working relationship between Linz09 and CROSSING EUROPE got underway in 2007 in the area of marketing, which led to substantive thematic collaboration beginning in 2008. Linz09 also subsidized the festival’s €10,000 grand prize, the CROSSING EUROPE Award European Competition 2009.


WHAT // Film festival
WHEN // April 20-26, 2009
WHERE // OK Center for Contemporary Art, Moviemento, City Kino, Kapu
www.crossingeurope.at

FESTIVAL DIRECTOR // Christine Dollhofer