Celebrate the role of women in film at Gateway's Cinema Nouveau in Durban

Following the success of the first EUFF staged last year, it returns to Cinema Nouveau. Of the 12 films, 11 are being screened for the first time in South Africa.

The EUFF is hosted by Cinema Nouveau, co-ordinated by the French Institute of South Africa and organised in partnership with the European Union and 12 other European cultural agencies or embassies in South Africa. These include the British Council, the Camões Institute, the Goethe-Institut, the Italian Cultural Institute, the Embassy of Belgium and Wallonie-Bruxelles International, and the Embassies of Austria, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain.

All the featured films are the recipients of numerous awards and accolades in their own countries and at international film festivals and competitions, including the Oscars, with the winner of the Best Foreign Language Film for 2015, Ida, as part of the exciting line-up. These are the latest productions from some of the most exciting and talented film directors and actors in Europe at the moment, and a true reflection of Europe's diverse and creative cinematography.

Programme

Friday 8 May

• 17:30 Human Capital: Valeria Golina and Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, two of Italy's leading actresses, in a film that San twists love, class and ambition; Tribeca Film Festival 2014
• 20:00 3 Hearts: a French romantic drama starring film legend Catherine Deneuve; Venice International Film Festival 2014

Saturday 9 May

• 17:30 Frailer: with great humour and sincerity, Dutch female director Mijke de Jong draws an intimate portrait to capture the way we face death; Toronto International Film Festival 2014
• 20:00 Ida: Pawel Pawlikowski's film is the first Polish feature to win the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film (2015) amidst rave reviews from around the world

Sunday 10 May

• 17:30 A Second Chance: directed by Academy Award-winning Susanne Bier, the film features Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Game of Thrones); San Sebastian Festival 2014
• 20:00 My Brother the Devil: a masterful debut from female director Sally El Hosaini, one of the brightest new talents of the UK cinema; Berlin International Film Festival 2012

Friday 15 May

• 17:30 Concrete Night: Finnish female director Pirjo Honkasalo's film is a dream-like odyssey through beautiful Helsinki over the course of one night; Toronto International Film Festival 2014
• 20:00 Two Days, One Night: the latest project taken on by the multi-award winning Dardenne brothers features French actress Marion Cotillard, nominated for the 2015 Best Actress Oscar

Saturday 16 May

• 17:30 Amour Fou: an Austrian tragi-comedy, inspired by the life and death of the historic poet Heinrich von Kleist (Christian Friedel); Cannes Film Festival 2014
• 20:00 Blood of my Blood: from Portugal, this film focuses on unconditional love - and the lengths two women are prepared to go to protect those they love; San Sebastian Festival 2011

Sunday 17 May

• 17:30 Blancanieves: from Spanish director, Pablo Berger, Snow White is recast as a talented bullfighter in an eerie and erotic silent film treat; Toronto International Film Festival 2012
• 20:00 Beloved Sisters: German Romanticism at its most expressively romantic, a cinematic tour de force from director Dominik Graf; Berlin International Film Festival 2014

Bookings are now open. Special festival ticket rates will apply, including the benefits and discounts for members of SK Club, Discovery Vitality and Edgars Club, to make these foreign language films accessible to a wide cinema audience. For more information, go to www.cinemanouveau.co.za.