Editorial

Irena Bilic
Founder, director and General Delegate

Dear friends, filmmakers and spectators, dear partners,

In 2025, we celebrate the twentieth edition of the Europe by Europe Festival.

Nearly 1,500 European films, from the origins of cinema to today, unseen or rediscovered, were shown, presented, and defended; meetings with classics, masters, contemporary filmmakers, and emerging auteurs, who arrived in Paris from all over the continent; 150 interns were accompanied; wonderful collaborations with Parisian cinemas where the history of auteur cinema was made; juries among the most qualified, sometimes chaired by legends of European cinema. And a loyal, passionate team. And friends, without whom nothing can be achieved.

The general trait that characterizes the recently produced contemporary films, organized into three competitions — the SAUVAGE Prize, the PRESENT Prize, and the SAUVAGE CORTO Prize — is their closeness to life. The vision of their authors is serene, analytical, detached, and devoid of any penchant for tragedy.

A stark contrast to the worlds of David Lynch,Aleksandar Petrović, Lucian Pintilie andAlexandre Sokourov, who, each in their own grandiose and unique way, see the world in inescapably gray tones, or lost in lies, manipulation, and ultimately, fatally, crime. And this is universal.

In these dark, absurd and cruel times, one theme has stood out like a beacon in the fog – Tell Me Lies. Tell Me Liesafter the title of Peter Brook‘s film.

” August Strindberg would say, ” Fools don’t know they’re fools. But our mission is to feel, identify and show the cinema of tomorrow!

Because we have both hope and certainty that films change the world.

It’s time to salute all those filmmakers who put years of waiting, hope, effort — their whole hearts — into their films.

Great screenings, great meetings !