6 new European films – 3 of them market premieres – to be screened in New York

From left to right: RETRIBUTION, YOU'RE UGLY TOO, URBAN HYMN, ANTON CHEKHOV - 1890, MOTLEY'S LAW, THE PARADISE SUITE

Six new films from Europe, all with commercial appeal for the US market, will offer a journey through history, politics and social lives when they are screened on June 29th and 30th as part of European Film Promotion’s (EFP) annual Industry Screenings in New York. Three titles are market premieres, and all of the films will be represented in NY by their international sales agents.

Over the past 10 years, EFP has invited US buyers and industry professionals to a selection of new European films as part of this initiative. European sales agents accompany their respective screenings and hold individual meetings with distributors while in New York. EFP’s industry screenings are part of its Film Sales Support (FSS) program which is backed by the Creative Europe - MEDIA Programme of the European Union.

The selection of films reflects current European cinema in every way: The sensitive French drama Anton Chekhov – 1890 by René Féret takes us on a journey to Siberia with the charismatic Russian writer, where most of his master pieces were inspired. Leading actor, Nicolas Giraud, is known to audiences in the US from René Féret’s successful film, Mozart's Sister.

Set against the backdrop of the youth riots in Britain in the summer of 2011, Urban Hymn by Michael Caton-Jones explores the anguish of a young female offender, captured between the warm-hearted support of a counselor and the loyalty towards her possessive best friend. The girl’s singing gives hope to a troubled generation.

With great humor, Mark Noonan portrays two social outsiders trying to find their own unconventional way of mastering life in the Irish drama, You’re ugly too.

The Spanish thriller Retribution by Dani de la Torre puts a bank manager in the eye of a hurricane of love and fear.

In the Dutch-Swedish-Bulgarian co-production, The Paradise Suite, director Joost van Ginkel interweaves a story of six people in a complex and ruthless society: both a raw and poetic praise of human strength for survival.

Nicole Horanyi’s Danish documentary Motley’s Law follows politically incorrect American attorney, Kimberley Motley, on her reckless journey through the Afghan justice system.

The six selected films are confirmed by EFP’s member organisations: British Council, Danish Film Institute, EYE International (The Netherlands), Instituto de la Cinematografa y de las Artes Audiovisuales / ICAA (Spain), Irish Film Board, UniFrance films.