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France proposes 'European cinema weeks' to fight Hollywood domination
The European Union should establish a programme of "European cinema weeks" to combat the domination of Hollywood movies in theatres, France suggested to a gathering here of EU culture ministers.
In order for Europeans to "see more European films and because 70 percent of films shown in EU movie theatres are American, I ask you to promote European films in the form of 'European cinema weeks'," French Culture Minister Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres said in an address late Thursday.
He said such film festivals of only European productions could be held simultaneously in various EU member-states.
Donnedieu de Vabres was speaking at a three-day conference on European cultural identity and diversity.
The French minister also proposed the creation of a fund to promote subtitles of theatre shows and musicals, a European network of libraries as well as a European digital library.
He also said that the creation of a label of "European Heritage Sites," along the lines of UNESCO's "World Heritage Sites," could help promote tourism on the continent.
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