The LUX Prize will finance the subtitling and the kinescope recording of the winning film in the 23 official EU languages. The original language recording will also have sub titles for the hard of hearing and deaf people.

The European Parliament and cultural diversity

The European Parliament is a champion – and a symbol – of cultural diversity. Its very make-up reflects Europe’s multiplicity of cultures and languages. With 736 seats, the European Parliament is the world’s largest international parliamentary body. It is also the most diverse: its Members represent the people of the European Union’s 27 Member States; 23 languages are spoken in the Parliament, not to mention the regional and minority languages of the Union. The Parliament, whose legislative powers are steadily increasing, shares the Union’s motto, ‘Unity in Diversity’. Intercultural dialogue and freedom of thought, which have inspired and underpinned the history of European cinema, are two of its most cherished causes.

Cinema at the heart of cultural exception

Cinema lies at the heart of the European cultural model. It is emblematic of the cultural difference between the European Union and the United States. Cinema is also a medium that is highly accessible. Marrying sound and image, it has always been a medium that appeals to the individual at an emotional rather than a cognitive level. At a time when text as a medium is at a crossroads, cinema is the ideal vehicle for communication – or reflection – on Europe and its future.