PRESS CONFERENCE
ASIA-EUROPE FOUNDATION
This year, the International Thessaloniki Film Festival presents "Asian Vision", a look into innovative films by new Asian cinematographers. This new section of the festival is being organised with the collaboration of the Asia Europe Foundation whose purpose is to promote cultural exchange between Europe and Asia.

In the press conference given today, the director of the festival, Michel Demopoulos spoke about, "an interesting collaboration for cinema, inaugurated this year between the Festival, as well as Greece, and the Asia Europe Foundation".

The Greek delegate, Sotiris Mousouris spoke about the Foundation's goals: "We aim to reinforce the relationships between people, cultures and the understanding between Europe and East Asia. The 15 leaders of the European Union and the 10 leaders of the East Asian nations decided to establish the Foundation. One of its programmes is cultural exchange. Today, for the first time in Greece this collaboration begins with the 43rd International Thessaloniki Film Festival. I would like to thank Mr. Demopoulos for supporting the Foundation through the Festival and the Asian Vision section".

The director of the Cultural Exchange department of the Asia Europe Foundation, Chulamanee Chartsuwan, explained that, "since its establishment, the Foundation has embraced cinema and supported Asian cinematographers working in Europe by promoting and funding their work in international film festivals. This is the Foundation's first programme in Greece and we intend to further our collaboration".

Honorary plaques were presented to two of the Asian directors participating in the Festival this year, Nan Achnas (Whispering Sands, Indonesia) and Min Boung-hun (Let's not cry, Korea), who characterised their participation in the Thessaloniki Film Festival as a great experience.

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