The movies that touched the MEPs

The 11th edition of The European Film Festival „Integration You and Me” has been reviewed in the European Parliament in Brussels. The last one this year, yet the most important post-festival revision was organised in collaboration with Member of the European Parliament Marek Plura. Similar retrospectives took place in several other European countries.

The revision in Brussels hosted such great guests as: Henri Mallose, the President of the European Socio - Economic Committee, MEP Jan Olbrycht, Julia Pitera and Bogdan Wenta, as well as representatives of other international organisations, which help people with various disabilities.

Marek Plura, known among other things in Poland for his environmental activities for people with disabilities, this year began his first term in the European Parliament. Opening the review he highlighted the role played by the institution in the field of equal opportunities for all European citizens, but also how much remains to be done across the continent.

Projection moved MEPs and the invited guests. After the showing the emphasis was put on the heroism shown by people with disabilities in the fight against adversity, as well as legal and architectural barriers, which they face every day.

Three films were presented with different stories of people with disabilities. "Life out There" (David Ellington, United Kingdom, 2012) showed the fight of a deaf boy who lives with his father for the right to live independently. Janusz - the hero of the movie "Return" (Sylwia Michałowska, Poland, 2013), used his passion for diving to aid his rehabilitation after a stroke. "A Shadow of Blue" (Carlos Lascano, Spain / France, 2011) is a moving animation showing the dream of a girl chained to a wheelchair. Viewers also saw a documentary about the history of the festival prepared by Janusz Czech.

This was only a small portion of the wide range of films presented at the Festival "Integration You and Me". Every year, held in Koszalin, this event presents dozens of feature films, documentaries and amateur films from all over the world. The best movies take part in the competition for the main prize "Butterflies" and the audience award. Since 2003, the festival has screened almost 500 productions.; among them lots of blockbusters such as "The Sea Inside" (spa. "Mar Adentro"), "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" (fr. "Le scaphandre et le papillon") and "The Untouchables".

Festival "Integration You and Me" promotes people with disabilities and social inclusion, as well as disabled filmmakers and actors.

“We integrate through arts: first and foremost through film, but within years of building festival programs we've found a place for music, theater, visual arts, and already in recent years also performances and happenings. We present artists with disabilities, their achievements, successes and talents” - says Mrs. Barbara Bielińska-Jaroszyk, originator and director of the EFF "Integration You and Me"

This year, the festival reviews were carried out in 44 cities in Poland, as well as abroad in the UK, Italy, Spain, Romania and Turkey.

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