European Film Professionals Urge EU to Safeguard Cinema Funding Amid Budget Discussions
Over 4,700 film professionals, including notable figures like Francis Ford Coppola and Juliette Binoche, have signed an open letter urging the European Union to protect funding for cinema under the MEDIA program. This initiative has been instrumental in supporting European films for over 35 years. The letter, titled 'Europe needs cinema, Cinema needs Europe,' calls for the EU to ensure that cinema funding is preserved within the proposed AgoraEU budget, which aims to consolidate funding for culture, media, and civil society. The European Commission has proposed a budget of €8.6 billion for AgoraEU, with the European Parliament suggesting an increase to €10.7 billion. The film industry is concerned that cinema funding might be diverted to other sectors, and they are advocating for guarantees to maintain support for European cinema. 
