BERLIN – Cristian Mungiu, the Romanian director of the Palme d’Or winning abortion drama 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days has been named the new President of Honor of European Distribution, an association of independent European art house distributors. Mungiu said he understood his largely ceremonial position as a soapbox from which to fight the decline of art house and auteur cinema in Europe in favor of mainstream entertainment.
“I have nothing against cinema as entertainment as long as we understand the need for diversity,” said Mungiu. “Cinema was invented not only to make us feel better Friday after work but also to help us see the truth, understand ourselves and to perceive the reality around us.” He warned that “diversity is not granted, it is something to fight for” warning that “personal cinema, auteur cinema, might soon have to be declared endangered species.”
European Distribution also appointed its two acting co-presidents, Annemie Degryse from Lumiere in Belgium and Jakub Duszynski from Poland’s Gutek Film, who will run the association for the next three years. European Distribution represents 110 indie distributors in 26 countries.
