The European Independent Film Festival is an annual international film festival dedicated to independent cinema. Held in Paris, France, it was created in 2006 by Scott Hillier.
Quality, innovation, and creativity are judged in 14 categories, 7 of which are open to non-European filmmakers (from the Americas, Australia, Africa, and Asia), and compete for 25 awards. Jury members come from all around the globe and have a variety of backgrounds.
The founder and president of ÉCU, Scott Hillier, is a Paris-based Australian filmmaker. He gained international recognition from his cinematography, editing, writing producing and directing portfolio and served as Director of Photography on the documentary Twin Towers, which won an Academy Award in 2003.
As well as the film screenings, festival attendees can participate in a wide variety of workshops and events. Following each screening session, 'Meet-the-Directors' discussions are held in which audience members pose questions directly to the filmmakers. There is also a full program of live music hosted by ÉCU's partner Access Film-Music at the festival after-parties.
Categories The festival comprises both European and non-European films.
European Categories Dramatic Feature Dramatic Short Documentary Animated Film Music Video Experimental Film Comedy Film
Non-European Categories Dramatic Feature Dramatic Short Documentary
Worldwide Categories Student Film Much More than a Script Competition Arab Special Selection
Workshops
During the festival, workshops are available to all attendees and are conducted by professionals in the film making industry.
Music
ÉCU is a strong supporter of musicians. Along the usual film festival activities, live music can be heard throughout the entirety of the weekend.
Q&A session
After each screening, the audience has the opportunity to meet the directors and participate in a Question and Answer session. Where they will have the opportunity to directly ask questions to the filmmakers and to discuss in detail the difficulties and highlights of the process of film creation.
ÉCU-on-the-road
Every year, the festival travels around the world making sure the "Official Selection" directors and films are made known. All this has been possible through the help of over 50 (and quickly growing) partner festivals, cultural centers and film commissions around the globe. During these events, some of the "Official Selection" films are screened, which furthers the size of the directors audience.
ÉCU-on-the-road events Place dateBalinale, IndonesiaSeptember 24–29, 2019Special Screening in Toulon, FranceSeptember 12&15, 2019Arkadia Shortfest, RomaniaAugust 13–17, 2019Cabriolet Film Festival in Beirut, LebanonJune 7–9, 2019Special Screening in Grand Café BataclanFebruary 27, 2019ÉCU-in-IstanbulDecember 24, 2018So Independent Film Festival, BulgariaOctober 26 - November 3, 2018ÉCU in Russian Indie Film FestivalOctober 6–7, 2018Screening in Mumbai with Alliance Française de Bombay, IndiaJuly 31, 2018ÉCU in Avanca Film Festival, PortugalJune 25–29, 2018Mt. Fuji - Atami Film & VR Festival, JapanJune 28 - July 1, 2018ÉCU-in-Viseu, PortugalJune 29–30, 2018ÉCU-in-Cannes, FranceMay 11–18, 2018ÉCU-in-Riga, LatviaJanuary 17–18, 2018Aesthetica Short Film Festival, UKNovember 8–12, 2017Super8000 Film Festival, DenmarkOctober 27, 2017ÉCU-in-Prague, Czech RepublicOctober 12, 2017Naperville Independent Film Festival, USSeptember 23–30, 2017The Smalls Film Festival, UKSeptember 1–5, 2017ÉCU-in-Athens, GreeceAugust 30 - September 1, 2017Arkadia Shortfest, RomaniaSeptember 1–3, 2017Rural Film Festival, SpainAugust 1–5, 2017Aegean Film Festival, GreeceJuly 25–30Craft Film Nights, SpainJuly 27, 2017Cabriolet Film Festival, LebanonJune 9–11, 2017ÉCU-in-Viseu, PortugalJune 7–9, 2017ÉCU-in-Cannes, FranceMay 21–27, 2017Cabriolet Film Festival, LebanonJune 9–11, 2017Naperville Independent Film Festival, United StatesSeptember 23–30, 2017ÉCU-in-ViseuJune 7–9, 2017Vault Film Festival, UKJanuary 28–29, March 4–5, 2017Cinema Jam November Session, UKNovember 21, 2016Aesthetica Short Film Festival, UKNovember 3–6, 2016American Film Market, USNovember 2– 9, 2016Evolution! Mallorca International Film Festival, SpainNovember 3–12, 2016NDU International Film Festival, LebanonNovember 6–11, 2016International Short Film Festival of Cyprus, CyprusOctober 15–21, 2016Zurich Film Festival, SwitzerlandSeptember 22–October 2, 2016Arkadia ShortFest, RomaniaSeptember 2–4, 2016Naperville Independent Film Festival, USSeptember 10–17, 2016International Film Festival of Patmos, GreeceJuly 21–27, 2016 Cabriolet Film Festival, Beirut, Lebanon June 3–5 13–15, 2016 NDU International Film Festival, Beirut November 15–22, 2015 Clare Valley Film Festival, Australia November 13–15, 2015 Qabila film festival, Egypt October 8–10, 2015 Tyrolean Independent Filmfestival/TyIFF, Austria September 18, 2015 Naperville Independent Film Festival, US September 12–19, 2015 ÉCU-in-Viseu, Portugal August 13–15, 2015 Arkadia Short Film Festival, Romania July 3–5, 2015 MashRome Film Festival, Italy July 1–3, 2015 ÉCU-in-Viseu, Portugal June, 2015 Clare Valley Film Festival, Australia May 30, 2015 Cabriolet Film Festival, Lebanon May 29–31, 2015 ÉCU-in-Cannes, France May 17–24, 2015 Vault Film Festival, London February 7;14;21;28, 2015 ÉCU-in-São Paulo, Brazil January 29 – February 4, 2015 ÉCU-in-Berlin, Germany January 14–15, 2015
Previous winners ÉCU 2024
The 19th ÉCU - The European Independent Film Festival took place from 19 to 21 April 2024. +CategoryWinnerBest European Independent Film 2024Wild Summon, Karni Arieli & Saul Freed Best European Independent Dramatic Short 2024Bus From Adana, Jochem de VriesBest European Independent Dramatic Feature 2024Alias Wolf, Oscar Spierenburg & Tobias SpierenburgBest European Independent Documentary 2024AYITI, a Haitian Story Clément Beauvois, Kevin Duval, Valentin Gaffie, Alexis PautlerBest European Independent Animated Film 2024Purga, Gintarė Valevičiūtė Brazauskienė. & Antanas SkučasBest European Independent Comedy 2024KOEKOEK! - Jörgen Scholtens (Netherlands)Best European Experimental Film 2024Soma, Arturo BandinelliBest European Independent Music Video 2024Ren – Money Game Part 3, Ren Gill & Samuel Perry-FalveyBest Non-European Independent Dramatic Short 2024It Turns Blue, Shadi KaramroudiBest Non-European Independent Dramatic Feature 2024X Kills Me, Ding ZiJunBest Non-European Independent Documentary 2024Grasshopper Republic, Daniel McCabeBest Student Film 2024Push, Anastasia SereginaBest Feature Script 2024The Prodigal, Written by Thomas O’MalleyBest Short Script 2024Comment J’ai Perdu Mon Ongle De Pouce, Written by Siham MedjahedBest Actor 2024They Call Me Chino, Actor: Manel LlunellBest Actress 2024Breakfast Of Champions, Actress: Sabrina RobinsonBest Editing 2024Exit, Editor: Reza AbiyatBest Cinematography 2024Through Gloom, Cinematographer: Milda JuodvalkytėBest Director 2024The Moon Rises, Gaspard VignonSpecial Jury Mention 2024Dead Man Walking (DMW), Jacob PolatSpecial Jury Mention 2024I C U, Vincent ZhouAudience Award 2024John Adams. Get Up The Yard, Jose Ángel Catalán RuizThe Ahmed Khedr Award for Excellence in Arab Filmmaking 2024Saleh, Zaki AlabdullahExcellence in Women's FilmmakingSeize the Summit, Arwa Damon & Binnur Karaevli
ÉCU 2020
The 15th ÉCU - The European Independent Film Festival took place from 23 to 26 April 2020. Due to COVID-19 pandemic the festival took place online, with the films being screened on the festival's website, followed by the recorded Q&A sessions with the directors. +CategoryWinnerBest European Independent Film 2020THE MANCHADOR - Kaveh Tehrani (Norway)Best European Independent Dramatic Short 2020GEORGE THE DOG, REFUGEE - Tomasz Wiński (Czech Republic)Best European Independent Dramatic Feature 2020SHIBIL - Nikola Bozadzhiev (Bulgaria)Best European Independent Documentary 2020SHADOWS OF LIGHT - Walter Fanninger (Austria)Best European Independent Animated Film 2020MIND MY MIND - Floor Adams (Netherlands)Best European Independent Comedy 2020KOEKOEK! - Jörgen Scholtens (Netherlands)Best European Experimental Film 2020THEM - Robin Lochmann (Germany)Best European Independent Music Video 2020ADAGIO FOR STRINGS AND STORM - Ivan Yudin (Russian Federation)Best Non-European Independent Dramatic Short 2020FUNFAIR - Kaveh Mazaheri (Iran)Best Non-European Independent Dramatic Feature 2020The Journey of a Murder - Jun Wang (China)Best Non-European Independent Documentary 2020AMAZING GRACE - Lynn Montgomery (US)Best Student Film 2020MY CAT AS SOCRATES - Villő Krisztics (Hungary)Best Feature Script 2020BRIDGE BY THE EARTHEN HOUSE - Paul Hunt (UK)Best Short Script 2020TIME MUSEUM - Gahee Lee (US)Best Actor 2020Chis Schultz in DORRIS 85 by Grace Philips (US)Best Actress 2020Fatou Mbemgue in LA GITA by Salvatore Allocca (Italy)Best Editing 2020Liu Kai Qi - BATHHOUSE DRUMMER; directed by Treey Liu (China)Best Cinematography 2020Daniel Lindholm - ELECTRIC LITANY - SEALIGHT; directed by Sakari Lerkkanen (UK)Best Director 2020Raúl Koler and Emiliano Sette - ANACRONTE (Argentina)Special Jury Mention 2020CALIFORNIA ON FIRE - Jeff Frost (US)Special Jury Mention 2020NO, I DON'T WANT TO DANCE - Andrea Vinciguerra (UK)Audience Award 2020THE CALL CENTRE - Louisa Connolly-Burnham (UK)The Ahmed Khedr Award for Excellence in Arab Filmmaking 2020MANARA - Zayn Alexander (Lebanon)Excellence in Women's FilmmakingTHE WALKING FISH - Thessa Meijer (Netherlands)
ÉCU 2019
The 14th ÉCU - The European Independent Film Festival took place from 5–7 April 2019 at Cinema Les 7 Parnassiens in Paris. The participants of the festival enjoyed the screening of 79 independent films, workshops dedicated to the filmmaking industry together with #sheshoots, a discussion panel focused on women filmmakers and actresses. In addition, there was the possibility to meet the directors and asked them everything about their film. Afterparties and live music performances were organised to close every day of the festival.
The winners of ÉCU - The European Independent Film Festival 2019: