A Europe Fit for the next generation of creators

European Authors’ open letter in support of the Copyright Directive

Dear Member of the European Parliament,

The undersigned organisations of authors – representing hundreds of thousands of voters who are writers, screenwriters, filmmakers, composers and songwriters – urge you to seize this once in a decade opportunity and support the successful adoption of the Copyright Directive.

Since the last European elections, the European Commission, the European Parliament and Member States concluded that the European Union needed to modernise copyright in the Digital Age. Included in this debate was a conviction of the need to strengthen Europe’s authors by addressing the systemic weak bargaining position in negotiating contracts, and promoting fair remuneration.

Authors are at the very origin of the copyright value chain for Europe’s cultural and creative industries, which produce EUR 509 billion in value added to GDP, provide 7.5 % of the EU’s work force and significantly contribute to the EU economy in terms of employment, investment, growth, innovation and competitiveness on a global scale. Yet for the vast majority of authors, their careers are barely sustainable and poorly remunerated. The Parliament has played a decisive role in insisting that the Copyright Directive address this anomaly and has significantly improved the various provisions in the Directive which will benefit authors, and which we have supported.

Throwing the Directive away now would not only reverse the European Parliament’s work to support authors but also be an unprecedented setback for all creators in Europe. Abandoning the Directive now would be a major victory for the major international players who ignore the damage caused to the creative industries by their dominant position and refuse the harmonisation and inclusion of basic standards of transparency and fairness in EU copyright legislation.

This Directive concerns the future of Europe’s cultures. The European Parliament played a key role in the negotiations ensuring future generations’ access to freedom of expression.

Please - adopt the Directive and send a strong signal to the future generations who want to write, compose, create so that they can be fairly remunerated.

Sincerely yours,

1. ACE, Spanish Writers’ Association, Spain - Manuel Rico Rego - President
2. ADA, Austrian Directors Association, Austria - Jacob Groll and Jenny Gand – Co-chair
3. ALMA, The Spanish Writers Guild, Spain – Alberto Macias – President
4. AMA, Autores de Musica Asociados, Spain - Javier de Juan – President
5. ANAC — Associazione Nazionale dei Autori Cinematografici, Italy - Francesco Ranieri Martinotti - President
6. APR – ASSOCIAÇÃO PORTUGUESA DE REALIZADORES, Portugal – Filipa Reis - President
7. ARRF – Association des Réalisateurs et Réalisatrices de Films, Belgium – André Buytaers, Administrator
8. ARF/FDS – Swiss Filmmakers Association, Switzerland – Barbara Miller - President
9. Asociace spisovatelů, The Czech Writers Association, Czech Republic - Ondřej Lipár - Chairman
10. Association of Catalan Language Writers, Catalonia-Spain - Bel Olid Báez – President
11. Association des Auteurs de l'Audiovisuel (ASA), Belgium, Frédéric Castadot – President
12. Associazione dell'Autorialità Cinetelevisiva, 100autori, Italy – Stefano Sardo - President
13. BAFTRS - Bulgarian Association of the Film, Theater and Radio Scriptwriters, Bulgaria, President - Prof. Dr. Stanislav

Semerdjiev

14. BAM!, Dutch Songwriters Society, Netherlands - Pieter Perquin – Chair
15. BASCA, British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors - United Kingdom - Crispin Hunt – Chair
16. Bundesverband Regie e. V., Germany – Susann Reck, Marie Noelle, Axel Schill Bettina Schoeller-Bouju & Cornelia

Grünberg, Executive Board

17. CC Composers Club e.V., Germany - John Groves – President
18. Croatian Film Directors' Guild, Croatia – Danilo Šerbedžija, President
19. The Danish Composers’ Society, Denmark - Bent Sørensen – President
20. The Danish Authors Society, Denmark - Morten Visby - Chairman
21. The Danish Writers Guild, Denmark - Anders Busk – Kommunikationskonsulent
22. Danske Filminstruktører/Danish Film Directors, Denmark – Christina Rosendahl, President
23. Deutscher Komponistenverband, Germany - Dr. Enjott Schneider- President
24. DGCY – Directors Guild of Cyprus, Cyprus – Daina Papadaki, President
25. The Directors Guild of Slovenia – Slovenia - Urša Menart
26. Directors UK, United Kingdom – Andrew Chowns, CEO & Steve Smith, Chair
27. DJBFA, Composers and songwriters, Denmark - Susi Hyldgaard chairman and Anna Lidell vice chairman
28. Drehbuchverband Austria, Austrian Screenwriter Association, Austria - Christian Neubacher
29. DSR – Directors Guild of Slovenia, Slovenia – Urša Menart, Chair
30. DSR Screenwriters, Slovenia - Matevž Luzar
31. Dutch Directors Guild, The Netherlands – Martijn Winkler - Chairman
32. Dutch Writers Guild, The Netherlands, Maria Vlaar - Chair
33. ECSA, European Composer & Songwriter Alliance, Alfons Karabuda - President
34. ESPEK – Association of Greek Film Directors-Producers, Greece – Elina Psykou - President
35. Estonian Filmmakers Union, Estonia – Alvar Kõue - Chairman
36. EWC European Writers' Council, Gunnar Ardelius - President
37. FAGA, Foro de Asociaciones de Quionistas audiovisuals, Ana Hormaechea, President
38. FEMA, Federación Espanola de Músicos Asociados, Spain - Iván García-Pelayo - International Affairs Reprensentative
39. FERA – Federation of European Film and TV Directors – Dan Clifton - Chair
40. FLAC, Fédération Luxembourgeoise des auteurs et compositeurs, Luxembourg - Roby Steinmetzer – President
41. Flemish Writers' Association (Vlaamse Auteurs Vereniging, VAV), Belgium - Natalie Ariën - coordinator
42. Film Directors Guild of Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan – Huseyn Mehdiyev - Chairman
43. The Finnish Playwrights and Screenwriters Guild, Finland - Ms Sonia Meltt - Executive Director
44. The Finnish Music Creators FMC, Finland - Kaija Kärkinen - Chair of the Board
45. Galician Language Writers Association, Galicia-Spain - Cesáreo Sánchez Iglesias -President
46. The German Writers' Union, Germany, Lena Falkenhagen - Chairwoman.
47. La Guilde Française des Scénaristes, France, Denis Goulette - Executive Officer
48. Greek Directors’ Guild, Greece – Haris Papadopoulos - Chairman
49. Groupe 25 Images, France – Claire De La Rochefoucauld & Arnaud Selignac - Presidents
50. Hellenic Authors' Society, Greece - Yiorgos Chouliaras - President
51. Hrvatsko društvo skladatelja, Croatian Composers Society, Croatia - Ante Pecotić – President
52. The Icelandic Dramatists Union, FLH (Félag leikskálda og handritshöfunda), Margrét Örnólfsdóttir, Chairman
53. IMAGO -- International Federation of Cinematographers – Paul René Roestad - President
54. The Irish Writers' Union, Ireland, Lissa Oliver & Phil Mac Giolla Bháin, Co-Chairpersons
55. Israel Directors Guild, Israel – Limor Pinhasov, Chairwoman
56. LARS – Luxembourgish Association of Film Directors and Scriptwriters, Luxembourg – Claude Lahr, President
57. Latvian Filmmakers Union, Latvia – Ieva Romanova - Chair
58. Lithuanian Filmmakers Union, Lithuania – Arūnas Matelis - President
59. Magyar Zeneszerzők Egyesülete, Hungarian Composers' Union, Hungary - Máté Hollós – President
60. Musimagen - Asociation of Audiovisual composers of Spain, Darío Palomo – President
61. National Society of Greek Authors, Greece, Eleni Kekropoulou, Vice-President
62. Netwerk Scenarioschrijvers, the Netherlands, Pieter Bart Korthuis -Chairman
63. NFF – Norwegian Film Makers Association, Norway – Sverre Pedersen - President
64. NFR – Norske Filmregissører, Norway – Marianne Kleven, Chair
65. Nieuw Geneco, Nieuw Genootschap Nederlandse Componisten, Netherland - Felix Rottenberg – Chair, Esther

Gottschalk – Director

66. NOPA – The Norwegian Society of Composers and Lyricists, Norway, Ingrid Kindem - Chair
67. Norsk Komponistforeningen, Norwegian Society of Composers, Norway, Jørgen Karlstrøm - Chairman of the Board
68. ÖGZM, Österreichische Gesellschaft für zeitgenössische Musik – Austria, Dr. Morgana Petrik – Präsident
69. ÖKB - Österreichischer Komponistenbund, Austria - Alexander Kukelka – President
70. PDM – Producers and Directors of Montenegro – Montenegro – Ivan Djurovic, President
71. Portuguese Society of Authors (SPA), Portugal, José Jorge Letria - President.
72. Rättighetsbolaget/Rights Manager of the Swedish Union for Performing Arts and Film, Sweden – Anna Carlson,

President

73. Sanasto – Finnish Literary Copyright Society, Finland - Anne Salomaa - Executive Director
74. Scenario, Switzerland - Jacqueline Surchat - Coordinator
75. SCGI, Screen Composers Guild of Ireland, Ireland - Sarah Glennane – CEO
76. SDGI –Screen Directors Guild of Ireland, Ireland-Maurice Sweeney - Chairman
77. Screenwriters Circle of the Polish Filmmakers Association, Poland, Maciej Karpinski - President
78. Scriptwriters Guild of Greece, Greece - Alexander Kakavas – President
79. SFP – Stowarzyszenie Filmowców Polskich/Polish Filmmakers Association, Poland – Jacek Bromski, President
80. SKAP - The Swedish Society of Songwriters, Composers and Authors, Sweden - Alfons Karabuda – Chair
81. SKL – Samtök kvikmyndaleikstjóra/Film Directors Guild of Iceland, Iceland – Dagur Kári Pétursson, Chairman
82. SNAC, Syndicat National des auteurs et des compositeurs, France - Pierre-André Athané – President
83. Society of Authors (SoA), United Kingdom, Nicola Solomon - Chief Executive
84. The Society of Finnish Composers, Finland - Antti Auvinen - Chairman of the Board
85. The Society of Slovene Composers, Slovenia, Nenad First – President
86. Society of Swedish Authors in Finland, Finland - Peter Sandström – President
87. SPID - Croatian screenwriters and playwrights guild, (Croatian screenwriters and playwrights guild), Croatia, Zinka

Kiseljak - President

88. SRF – Société des Réalisateurs de Films, France – Marie Amachoukeli, Bertrand Bonello, Christophe Ruggia, Co-

Presidents

89. Suomen elokuvaohjaajaliitto SELO ry, Finland – Sakari Kirjavainen, Chair
90. The Swedish Association of Educational Writers, Sweden - Wiwi Ahlberg, Chair-person
91. Swedish Film Directors, Sweden – Maria Eriksson-Hecht & Göran Du Rees - Presidents
92. The Swedish Writers' Union, Sweden - Grethe Rottböll – President
93. Teaterförbundet – The Swedish Union for Performing Arts and Film, Sweden – Simon Norrthon, President
94. Tónskáldafélag Íslands - Icelandic Composers' Society, Þórunn Gréta Sigurðardóttir - Chairperson
95. UCMF, Union des Compositeurs de Musiques de Films, France, Béatrice Thiriet - Présidente
96. UNAC, Union Nationale des Auteurs et Compositeurs, France - Olivier Delevingne – President
97. U.N.C.L.A, Unione Nazionale Compositori Librettisti Autori, Italy, Giuseppe Amendola - Secretary General
98. Unie van Regisseurs vzw – Belgium/Flanders – Jin Berghmans, CEO
99. Verband Deutscher Drehbuchautoren e.V., Screenwriter’s Guild of Germany, Germany - Sebastian Andrae, Prof.

Peter Henning - Executive Board Members

100. Vlaamse Scenaristengilde / Flemish Screenwriters Guild, Belgium - Michel Sabbe & Dirk Nielandt
101. WGGB, Writers’ Guild of Great Britain, UK – Ellie Peers - General Secretary, Gail Renard - Chair
102. Writers’ Guild of Ireland, Ireland - Thomas McLaughlin – Chairman
103. The Writers’ Guild of Norway, Norway, Monica Boracco - Chair
104. Writers Guild of Sweden, Sweden, Pia Gradvall – Chair
105. The Writers’ Union of Iceland - Iceland, Ragnheidur Tryggvadottir - Executive Manager
106. The Writers’ Union of Romania, Romania, Razvan Voncu - Director for International Programs
107. Zwiazek Polskich Autorow, Kompozytorow, Poland – Marek Hojda- Vice-President
108. Zwiazek Kompozytorow Polskich, The Polish Composers’ Union, Poland - Mieczyslaw Kominek Ph.D. - the President

The 2019 edition of Vilnius IFF Kino Pavasaris began with a show of support for Kirill Serebrennikov, whose romantic and rebellious film “Summer” opened the festival. Attendees illuminated the opening ceremony in solidarity with the director, who remains under house arrest in Moscow amid unfounded accusations.

In his latest feature, Serebrennikov follows young musicians as they search for an escape in the Soviet underground rock scene of the 1980s. The film explores what it means to strive for artistic freedom while oppressed by restrictions.

The crowd at the opening ceremony showed support for Serebrennikov by raising up their phone lights. During the event, experimental music from the band Whale Sounds and a performance by the dance troupe Low Air reflected this year’s festival motto “Don’t rush. Imagine”.

Starting March 21, Vilnius IFF will screen 170 films in 19 Lithuanian cities, inviting viewers to escape their hectic routines.

Find the complete festival programme here https://kinopavasaris.lt/en/programa

Here are the photos from the opening ceremony and party: https://kinopavasaris.myqnapcloud.com:4443/share.cgi?ssid=00W2g3e, when using please credit Audrius Solominas, Gediminas Gražys, Robertas Daskevičiaus and Tautvydas Stukas

Film Spot LT – a unique cinema hall at Vilnius Airport presents an updated film program for families. Starting today, two new film programs will be screened at Film Spot LT, which is the first and only airport cinema hall in the Central and Eastern Europe. The cinema hall, which is located next to the Gate 2, operates free of charge and welcomes all passengers of Vilnius Airport to spend time before their flight watching Lithuanian films.

The new repertoire consists of two programs, presenting 9 animated and short films by the most prominent Lithuanian filmmakers of the new generation. Among other films, viewers will be able to enjoy short animated films that have been awarded at international and national film festivals, including Running Lights (lit. “Kaukai”) by Gediminas Šiaulys, Mr Night Has a Day Off (lit. “Pono nakties laisvadienis”) and Woods (lit. “Miškas”) by Ignas Meiliūnas, Noroutine (lit. “Nerutina“) by Jūratė Samulionytė, Saga by Ieva Miškinytė, Junction (lit. “Virsmas“) by Nathan Jureviciaus. Also, short films The Last Day (lit. “Paskutinė diena“) by Klaudija Matvejevaitė, Not lucky today (lit. “Nesiseka šiandien’) by Dovilė Šarutytė and The Mother’s Day (lit. “Motinos diena”) by Kamilė Milašiūtė.

“The idea of having cinema halls in the airports is increasing in popularity among the biggest airports. We are glad to note that Film Spot LT cinema hall was one of the first ones not only in the Eastern and Central Europe but in the whole world. It is one more platform for promoting Lithuanian films and gives us a chance to reach both, Lithuanian and foreign cinema lovers. Together with our partners Lithuanian Short Film Agency we regularly updated the program. The new program is aimed at families, parents and the little passengers for whom the waiting time before the flight can be a great challenge. The length of the program is less than an hour to lessen the odds of missing the flight”, – says Dovilė Butnoriūtė, the Head of Lithuanian Film Centre’s Film Promotion, Information and Heritage Department.

The Film Spot LT was initiated by the Lithuanian Film Centre in 2015. The film program was created and is regularly updated in co-operation with the Lithuanian Shorts Agency that has been part of Film Spot LT since its inception. “Very often we are praised by our foreign colleagues for this unique platform that gives an opportunity to present Lithuanian shorts for wider audiences. Every year when updating the program, we want to make it interesting and relevant to both, Lithuanian travelers and foreign visitors. We also seek to introduce Lithuanian filmmakers of different generations, promote their work and our country's cinema culture in general,” – says Rimantė Daugėlaitė, the Head of Lithuanian Shorts Agency.

The Film Spot LT cinema hall has 50 seats and is in the departure area of Vilnius Airport next to the Gate A2. Its working hours are adapted to the flight schedule – films are shown from the first to the last flight of the day.