In Brazil, the EU’s birthday will be celebrated through cinema - a one-week film festival in Brasilia to promote European cinema and culture through European films.
The event is likely to include the screening of two films from each participating country, one new production and one classic from the last 50 years. In parallel, it is hoped to stimulate Brazil-EU interchange through seminars bringing together European and Brazilians directors and information sessions to promote EU-Brazil co-production.
The Brasilia festival is being organised by the German presidency in collaboration with other EU countries and the European Commission. In the second half of 2007, the Portuguese presidency is planning a similar festival in Rio de Janeiro, with the participation of the European consulates there. The film festival might then be brought to São Paulo, Recife, Salvador de Bahia, Curitiba e Porto Alegre, where the networks of European consulates also wish to play their part in celebrating the EU’s 50th birthday.