With the introduction of the Euro the goal of establishing the vision of a "European House" has come a step closer. The more Europe becomes a unit, the more the encounter among the national and regional cultures grows in importance, as does the exchange among the language and cultural entities. Sponsoring and assisting these cultural dialogues is the task of the Allianz Culture Foundation (ACF). This is reflected in the many international project partnerships which the ACF has sponsored outside of "Euroland" since the inception of its work in the summer of 2000.

We therefore congratulate the European Film Institute (EIKK) for efficiently fostering dialogue among European cultures and specifically among their young professionals through its ESP Program, the European Subsidy Program for Young Film Professionals, which has been active since 1997. The program finances internships for graduates and graduating students from European film academies to work on important film productions and/or collaborate in the functioning of other commercial and non commercial film enterprises.

There is hardly another artistic medium in which frontiers are more easily crossed than they are in cinema, which visually conveys impressions of other cultures, social structures and qualities of life. Working on a film set provides experience, international understanding and an awareness of differing cultural approaches. more...