ÉCU - THE EUROPEAN INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL

  Courtesy of Ben Rayner | Greta Gerwig Hollywood as we know has historically been, and still is, a man’s world. It’s predominantly been led and controlled by the powerful male studio executives and producers who dictated who and what appears on our screens, who “makes it” and who doesn’t. Today, the gender imbalance and bigoted hierarchy have changed rather dramatically and one of the many striving women who have left their mark on the cutthroat industry is the one and only, Greta Gerwig. In light of her newest box-office-breaking film, Barbie, let’s dive into how Gerwig has left her influential feminine touch on the film industry over the years. Courtesy of Wilson Webb/Columbia Pictures | Greta Gerwig directing on set The American actress, playwright, screenwriter, and director has graced the cinema screens with ‘Nights and Weekends’ (2008), the critically acclaimed Lady Bird (2017), Little Women (2019), and the newly released ‘Barbie’ (2023). Gerwig collaborated with Noah Baumba...

  (Image sourced from The New York Times ) Flashy, bold, and oh-so encapsulating, Biller creates in The Love Witch (2016) a glorious pastiche of iconic 20th Century cinema. Brimming with contemporaneous sensuality, resplendent costuming and technicolour excellence, the retro-fuelled melodrama is a riot of aesthetic indulgence to be sure. Having written, directed, edited and storyboarded every shot of the film, working closely with cinematographer M. David Mullen to expertly reproduce classical camera styles, and having designed and constructed much of the lavishly detailed sets, props, and costumes to boot, The Love Witch took a staggering seven-and-a-half years to complete. The result? A species of deeply artisanal independent film that achieves a level of precision and unity so faithful to Biller’s vision that The Love Witch (forgiven perhaps for a few languid or awkward moments) could readily be referred to as a film d’auteur. Complete with campy overacting and deliciously sat...

Documentaries, animation, and shorts were screened at Les Amarres in the 13th arrondissement of Paris on June 23, 2023 at a special screening hosted by ÉCU – The European Independent Film Festival. At the screening, attendees saw six films who were awarded at the 2022 All Asian Independent Film Festival: ÉCU’s sister film festival. The selection of winning films all displayed an impressive range of talent. Broken This short documentary by director Nan Khin San Win features two women in Kayah State, Myanmar. The viewers are launched into a world where women live in daily fear of sexual violence. Among strong visuals, attendees praised its vulnerability. “ The vulnerability among the women in Broken was both stunning and straining to watch. Although uncomfortable, I was extremely moved by these women’s stories and their daily lives, which largely contrast my own, ” Video Production ÉCU intern, Emme Patat said.  Baptism This Chinese film directed by Nan Li displayed a woman’s internal...

Throughout ballet’s history, there has been a dark underbelly integrated into the everyday life and experiences of dancers. This system manifests to form a patriarchal structure that disadvantages the women of the stage. From regular prostitution among ballerinas within the Paris Opera Ballet during the 19th century to the explicit photo-sharing scandal among New York City Ballet dancers in 2018, an obvious dichotomy has shone among the stage lights. Women are the crux of the industry and simultaneously the artform’s biggest victims. This disparity manifests within film adaptations featuring female dancers as well. Rise  Within this film directed by Cédriv Klapisch, lead Élise is left struggling after suffering a career-ending injury on stage. Her injury stemmed from a shell-shocked attempt at performing after witnessing her boyfriend committing infidelity in the wings of the stage. During her performance, she injured her ankle and was forced to take leave from the company. Foll...

Film submissions for the 18th edition of ÉCU- The European Independent Film Festival, are now   open ! The festival will take place on the  19th, 20th, and 21st April 2024 . Every year we screen thought-provoking, unique, and exciting independent films, and this year your film could be part of our 2024 programme! Submitting to ÉCU 2024 is easy! Just follow these 2 simple steps: STEP 1: CHOOSE YOUR CATEGORY For a detailed description of each film category please click below: European Categories: European Dramatic Feature European Dramatic Short European Documentary European Animated Film European Music Video European Experimental Film European Comedy Film Non-European Categories: Non-European Dramatic Feature Non-European Dramatic Short Non-European Documentary Worldwide Categories : Student Film Arab Special Selection Much More Than a Script Competition  (Short & Feature length) Click here for a  Price List  of all our categories Are you eligible to submit? ...