On 11 June 2008, Once was screened in the European Parliament as part of the European Film Festival on Intercultural Dialogue. The film, written and directed by Irishman John Carney, was introduced by MEP Avril DOYLE (EPP-ED, IE) and was followed by a discussion with Grainne Humphreys, Director of the Dublin International Film Festival.

Once was seen as appropriate for the European Film Festival because of the achievement of intercultural dialogue through music, which was described by Avril DOYLE MEP as a "wonderful accolade".  According to Grainne Humphreys, Once is "not only a film with a lot to say about dialogue between cultures… but also about the way in which we perceive ourselves".
 
The film is a musical about two young musicians who meet in Dublin and begin a musical collaboration with the hope of producing a marketable demo. One (Glenn Hansard from The Frames) is a local street musician who lacks the confidence to perform his own songs. The other is a young Czech mother (Marketa Irglova) trying to find her way in Dublin while selling flowers to support her mother and daughter.
 
Although Once was only made with a budget of 130,000 euros, it has already grossed 10 million dollars at the US box office and has received awards such as the 2008 Oscar for best music (song), the 2008 Independent Spirit Award for best foreign film, the audience choice awards at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival and the Dublin Film Festival, and nominations at the 2008 Grammy and Academy Awards.
 
The Film Festival is part of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue and features productions from 14 countries. Each of the films screened at the European Parliament explore cultural differences across Europe. Speaking ahead of the first film screening, EP President Hans-Gert Pöttering said the Parliament had decided to back the initiative to "support projects undertaken by civil society which contribute to the dialogue of cultures".
 
British film Bend it Like Beckham was also screened as part of the Film Festival under the patronage of MEP Nina GILL (PES, UK).  In Grainne Humphrey's discussion on the Film Festival, she said films like Bend it Like Beckham contribute to the festival's success because of the "rich diversity of their directors".