"White Ribbon", directed by Michael Haneke and funded by the Media Programme, won the Palme d'Or of the French festival. This Austrian, French, German and Italian co-production was not the only European player of the festival: European film received three other major awards.

European cinema has confirmed that is living one of his best live moments. The film "Das Weisse Band" ("White Ribbon"), the Austrian director Michael Haneke, won the Palme d'Or at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, where three other European films, all of them are funded by the EU Media Programme, also received awards.

"White Ribbon", filmed in black and white, shows the mood in Germany shortly before First World War and the origins of fascist movements. Started as a great favorite, and its director, Michael Haneke, had already received the Grand Jury Prize at the 2001 edition of the festival for his film "The Pianist."

The other three films that have won awards and are funded by the Media Programme is another great favorite, "A prophet" by Jacques Audiard, who has won the Grand Prix, "Fish Tank", directed by Andrea Arnold, has been recognized with the Prix du Jury, and Charlotte Gainsbourg, star of "Antichrist" by Lars Von Trier, won the Award for Best Actress.

The Media program aims to preserve and enhance European cultural and linguistic diversity and its cinematographic and audiovisual heritage, guarantee its accessibility to the public and promote intercultural dialogue, and to increase the circulation and viewership of European audiovisual works inside and outside the European Union, including through greater cooperation between players..

The triumph in Cannes confirms the good health of European cinema, and the Media is providing impetus for the European audiovisual sector: the winner of the Oscar for Best Film, Slumdog Millionaire, was financed by the Media Programme, and six other films were candidates for obtain the golden statuette.