The thirtieth version of the European Union Movie Pageant is underway, bringing the best and largest collection of European movies to India. From October 31 to November 9, 2025, the Delhi leg will current 28 acclaimed movies from all EU Member States and Ukraine, earlier than travelling to Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Organised by the Delegation of the European Union to India, in collaboration with the Embassies of EU Member States and regional companions, EUFF 2025 presents Indian audiences a uncommon probability to expertise Europe’s most celebrated movies on the large display.
By this vibrant showcase of European movies, EUFF continues to foster Indo-European cultural collaboration, providing audiences a window to Europe, its individuals, tradition and society. HT caught up with curator Artur Jósef Zaborski for an unique chat in regards to the lineup this 12 months, how the collection of movies have been made and extra.
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What are you most trying ahead to on the movie pageant this 12 months?
What I’m actually happy with, and what’s really necessary, is that this 12 months’s program presents your entire panorama of European Cinema. Because of the movies that we current right here on the pageant, we are able to see how various the European Union nations are… not solely as per cultural variations, but additionally how the filmmakers have a special method to filmmaking. We are able to see the themes, genres and varieties are fully totally different after we take a look at this system and I feel that that is the strongest side of the pageant.
After we take into consideration the EU, we expect that it’s united and related… that they’re fairly comparable to one another. Nonetheless, because of the varied movies introduced on the pageant, we see that every nation has its personal integrity, id, and distinctive means of expression.
Had been there any topical developments that have been seen within the movies that have been into consideration?
No. I feel that the one rule that we’ve on the pageant is that the movie needs to be good. We do not wish to comply with developments, or the movies which have performed at different festivals, or movies that have been a field workplace success within the nation the place it was made. That was not necessary for us. The one side that mattered was to current to the Indian viewers the type of cinema that’s worthwhile. Cinema that tries to sort out necessary topics that the Indian viewers can perceive.
Take one take a look at this system and you’ll know that these movies are very totally different from one another by way of their themes. It was additionally crucial for me to current the European cinema and what it says about totally different features of life. I imply, in some circumstances, we current movies which are very patriotic, which are attempting to underline the necessary achievements of the nation through which the movie was made. An instance can be the movie from Sweden, titled The Swedish Torpedo, which talks about feminine empowerment, resilience and freedom. After we see the movie, we are going to say, ‘Wow, Sweden made it and managed to assist this individual obtain their purpose.’ Nonetheless, on the similar time, we’re unafraid to current movies that critique the destructive features of dwelling within the EU. The movie from Luxembourg, Grieving Underwater, tackles the topic of home violence. So the concept is to current the EU as a spot the place there are a whole lot of issues we will be happy with, and but there are a whole lot of issues the place we’ve to work on. I consider that this program underlines it, and that was extra necessary to me than following the developments.
Share a number of the joys of your function as a curator for the EU Movie Pageant
Working as a curator is a job that everybody would like to have as a result of all you do is watch movies and choose up good movies. So this is sort of a dream come true as a result of you are able to do what you’re keen on… But one of many disadvantages of this job is you could choose solely 28 movies, when you want to current at the very least 150! As a result of there have been so many fascinating examples… I bear in mind how a lot of a battle it was to choose up a movie from Poland. I’m initially from Poland, the place I used to be born and raised, so I’m most conversant in Polish cinema… and choosing only one was very difficult. We picked ‘It’s not my Movie’ that portrays the fantastic thing about Poland, the illustration of the Polish panorama… which was necessary to me, to choose up a movie that might present the fact of the nation as nicely.
I’ve visited India up to now, and it was probably the greatest experiences of my life. I consider that because of the movie pageant, we are able to see the variations within the realities between these cultures and areas, and admire them as a result of these are good variations, not dangerous variations. We get nearer to the locations, to really feel the reference to the individuals.