The 2018 European Union Film Festival Announces Lineup

The critically acclaimed European Union Film Festival returns to Toronto with a wide variety of films screening from November 8th-22nd at the Royal Cinema. Award-winning films will make their debut at the festival, representing a rare opportunity to see these movies on the big screen. With genres spanning drama, comedy, romance and more, there is something for everyone at the EUFF.

Opening the festival this year is the submission from Bulgaria, OMNIPRESENT. Directed by Ilian Djevelekov, this film follows a man who becomes obsessed with spying on his friends, family, and coworkers through hidden cameras. OMNIPRESENT was the Bulgarian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 91st Academy Awards 2018.

Marking their Canadian premiere will be 9 feature films, notably Hungary's THE WHISKEY BANDIT, a thrilling cops and robbers story of a bank robber with a taste for celebrity; Lithuania's MASTER AND TATYANA, a documentary about Lithuanian photographer Vitus Luckus, who rebelled against the traditional confines of his country to forge his own powerful artistic style; and The Netherlands' TONIO, based on A.F. TH van der Heijden's autobiography of the loss of his son and his struggle to overcome his grief.

Making their Toronto debut will be 5 films, including Germany's WELCOME TO GERMANY, a comedy about a German family who take in a Nigerian refugee, only to find that their country is not as accepting as they believed; Slovakia's THE LINE, a tense thriller about a cigarette smuggler trying to stay ahead of the law; and Latvia's entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 2017 Academy Awards, THE CHRONICLES OF MELANIE, about a woman clinging to her humanity after being deported to Siberia and facing an uncertain future.

And debuting in North America: Poland's TITANIUM WHITE, a mystery about a criminal conspiracy surrounding the last works of Caravaggio, and Finland's WONDERLAND, a dramedy about a group of strangers with nowhere to go on Christmas, who end up at the same farmhouse with unexpected results.

Also playing are Ireland's THE DRUMMER AND THE KEEPER, about an unconventional friendship between a bipolar rock drummer and a 17-year-old with Asperger Syndrome, Romania's OCTAV, about a man near the end of his life who gets a chance to relive his past when his memories come to life, and The United Kingdom's I AM NOT A WITCH, a dark, satirical fairy tale about a young girl accused of witchcraft. The film was both the British entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 91st Academy Awards 2018, and the 2018 BAFTA winner for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director, or Producer.

Closing the festival is MADEMOISELLE PARADIS, Austria's submission, which transports us to Rococo Vienna and the blind pianist Maria Theresia Paradis, whose talent, while extraordinary, prevents her from living the normal life she craves.

European Union Film Festival Feature Films:

A Serious Game, Directed by Pernilla August. Sweden, 2016

A Syrian Family, Directed by Philippe Van Leeuw. Belgium, 2017

Fairytales for Ema, Directed by Rudolf Havlík. Czech Republic, 2016

I am not a Witch, Directed by Rungano Nyoni. United Kingdom, 2017

Kazantzakis, Directed by Iannis Smaragdis. Greece, 2017

Life Beyond Me, Directed by Olivier Peyon. France, 2017

Limestone Cowboy, Directed by Abigail Mallia. Malta, 2017

Little Tito and the Aliens, Directed by Paola Randi. Italy, 2017

Mademoiselle Paradis, Directed by Barbara Albert. Austria, 2017

Master and Tatyana, Directed by Giedre Zickyte. Lithuania, 2015

Mother Knows Best, Directed by Nuno Rocha. Portugal, 2016

Octav, Directed by Serge Ioan Celebidachi. Romania, 2017

Omnipresent, Directed by Ilian Djevelekov. Bulgaria, 2017

Rusty Boys, Directed by Andy Bausch. Luxembourg, 2017

Slovenia, Australia and Tomorrow the World, Directed by Marko Nabersnik. Slovenia, 2017

Sunrise in Kimmeria, Directed by Simon Farmakas. Cyprus, 2018

The Bride, Directed by Paula Ortiz. Spain, 2015

The Chronicles of Melanie, Directed by Viesturs Kairišs. Latvia, 2016

The Days That Confused, Directed by Triin Ruumet. Estonia, 2016

The Drummer and the Keeper, Directed by Nick Kelly. Ireland, 2017

The Eighth Commissioner, Directed by Ivan Salaj. Croatia, 2018

The Line, Directed by Peter Bebjak. Slovakia, 2017

The Whisky Bandit, Directed by Nimrod Antal. Hungary, 2017

Titanium White, Directed by Piotr Smigasiewicz. Poland, 2017

Tonio, Directed by Paula van der Oest. The Netherlands, 2016

Walk With Me, Directed by Lisa Ohlin. Denmark, 2016

Welcome to Germany, Directed by Simon Verhoeven. Germany, 2016

Wonderland, Directed by Inari Niemi. Finland, 2017

For EUFF's 2018 full line up with cast details and full synopses please visit: euffto.com

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