European cinema admissions surge 

Cinema admissions increased by 3.8% year-on-year in the European Union's five biggest markets – France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain and Italy - between January and June 2009. 

The growth, which comes despite the economic downturn sweeping Europe at that time, was driven by impressive figures from the UK, which recorded a massive rise of 14.5% (its best for seven years), as well as Spain (7.9%) and Germany (6.5%). 

Among the most successful films of the year so far are Angels and Demons (USA), which hit top spot in Germany, Italy and Spain, Slumdog Millionaire (UK), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (USA) and Fast and Furious (USA). 

Overall admissions were also boosted by strong half-year figures from smaller European countries like Sweden (+27%), Poland (+16%), the Netherlands (+12.3%), Denmark (+7%) and the Czech Republic (+6.8%). 

France, however, recorded a 4.4% year-on-year decline, which the EAO puts down to the "exceptional" success of Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis (France) in the first half of 2008. It expects strong results in July and August to reverse the trend by the end of the year. 

LUX Prize nominees announced

Meanwhile, the three films in contention for the European Parliament's 2009 LUX Prize for European cinema were revealed at the 66th Venice International Film Festival on Friday. 

The nominees are Eastern Plays by Kamen Kalev (Bulgaria, Sweden), Sturm by Hans-Christian Schmid (Germany, Denmark, Netherlands) and Welcome by Philippe Lioret (France). 

The winner will be announced by European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek on 25 November. 

Announcing the nominees for the European Parliament's 2009 Lux Prize for European cinema in Venice, German centre-right MEP Doris Pack (EPP) said "there is no European conscience, [and] neither emotion nor European identity, if we don't keep in mind the specific histories of each country, that is to say, if we don't watch European films in order to discover the soul of Europe". 

Sturm director Hans-Christian Schmid said "one of the main reasons for me making and watching films in [the] cinema is that they can tell an audience how diverse our lives in different countries and circumstances can be". 

"Films need to travel, and the Lux Prize can help a great deal to make these films be seen and understood all over Europe. What more could one ask for?" he added. 

Hailing the LUX Prize as "the most innovative award for European cinema," Fatih Akin and Klaus Maeck, respectively director and co-producer of 2007 winner  Auf der anderen Seite , said: "The sponsored subtitles enabling the laureate to present his film all around Europe is a great idea, and the election process draws attention to foreign productions from babylonic Europe which otherwise would have remained unknown." 

"Hopefully the European Parliament will continue to promote our diverse and rich cinematographic culture through the LUX Prize," they added.