ÉCU - The European Independent Film Festival proudly provides the platform for independent filmmakers to express authentic, cinematic storytelling in the most compelling ways possible.
As one of the world’s most recognised independent film festivals in the world, ÉCU embraces innovation and creativity and allows directors in competition to showcase their films to audiences who love and appreciate independent cinema. Filmmakers who are selected into ÉCU’s Official Selection join an active community of creatives who are continually pushing the boundaries of independent cinema.
Since its inception in 2006, ÉCU has forged a path for independent film and the scope of its presence has grown to a global scale with the festival often being referenced as the European equivalent of Sundance; an honour that we don’t take lightly.
“It was an honor to participate in your festival. And a very humbling experience to win against such strong competition. The quality of all the films I watched was very high - visually, and storytelling”
- Lynn Montgomery, director of AMAZING GRACE, the winner of the Best Non-European Independent Documentary 2020.
"And hopefully, when more and more festivals are showcasing diverse talent and films like you do, maybe in a few years the special Women’s awards won’t even be necessary anymore!
Thank you again for making the online festival happen and for putting in all the effort with the Q&A’s and screenings. I really liked connecting with the other filmmakers in the zoom meeting and hearing their stories gave me a bit of the “normal” festival experience which was great"
- Thessa Meijer, director of THE WALKING FISH, the winner of the Excellence in Women's Filmmaking award 2020.
"The pandemic made everything extra challenging—to say the least—but your team's positive attitude championed right through it!
It’s absolutely great that ÉCU keeps an open mind about what filmmaking is all about, and that it also includes experimental filmmakers and showcases their best work. I only hope that there will be more festivals of similar caliber to follow your example"
- Chuck George Tsioutsias, director of ONCE UPON ANOTHER, part of the Official Selection 2020.
Each year, our festival takes place in Paris during the springtime, which is not only a beautiful season but also an exciting time of year for ÉCU, because that is when we showcase roughly around 80 of the World’s very best independent films. Although ÉCU emphasises European talent, it also recognises the genius of international filmmakers with several categories allocated to non-European films.
The next ÉCU, the 16th edition, will take place on the 9th, 10th and 11th of April, 2021 in Paris, France.
ÉCU isn’t just about screening an amazing slate of films over its three-day event in Paris. There are also professional workshops led by experts in the industry, Q&A’s held with the attending filmmakers after every screening session and a chance to network with fellow filmmakers, producers, agents, industry representatives, prospective film buyers and, of course, the cinema-loving public. At ÉCU, there is a dialogue focusing on celebrating but also critiquing the world’s best indie cinema of today.
Though ÉCU’s main event IS the three-day festival in Paris each spring, there is even more! Thanks to our 50+ partner festivals, partner organisations, film centres and film commissions, ÉCU goes on an annual world tour called ÉCU-On-The-Road. This gives award-winning films (as well as many of the Official Selection films) the opportunity for their films to reach a broader, global, international audience.
ÉCU-On-The-Road showcased films in over 80 countries around the globe in 2016 to 2019 at special ÉCU mini-festivals, partner festivals, cultural institutions and film schools, including an amazing seven day special festival in São Paulo, Brazil. The event was made possible through the support of Caixa Cultural, São Paulo and was a huge success. ÉCU also held special events in Berlin (Germany), Atami (Japan) and was part of festivals in Lebanon, Italy, Russia, USA, Romania, Austria, Denmark and other countries. This gives ÉCU filmmakers great exposure to audiences that they may never have reached otherwise.
Since 2006, ÉCU has helped the careers of hundreds of independent filmmakers, actors, DPs, editors, screenwriters and we are honoured to give aspiring film directors the chance for their voices to be seen and heard.
Above all, we are proud to be a filmmakers’ festival!
*PLEASE NOTE: The Official Selection announcement for films is 17th February 2021 and the announcement for Much More than a Script Competition is 17th March 2021.*
Prizes range from year to year, but are donated by partners like Beachtek, Adaptive Sound, Les Machineurs, Zacuto, SellAScript.com, Film Inquiry, Kingston, IED, InkTip, Parrot, Syrp, Red Giant, Write Brothers and others.
