That’s a wrap! Looking back on EACD 2023 • Arthouse Cinema Hub

• In Kiev, young viewers watched a series of classic Ukrainian animated films. 
• Across Korea, the distributor MM International programmed a series of European films that had never had a theatrical release in the country. 
• Cinema Beltrade, in Milan, presented a marathon of short films including Fox tossing by Zénó Mira and Dita di vetro by Alina Gheorghe. 
• From wine tastings in Luxembourg, to Q and A’s with actors and directors in Madrid, EACD 2023 had something for everyone.

All over the world, 85,000 filmgoers attended the eighth edition of European Cinema Day on 12 November 2023, attracted by a coordinated campaign of local, national, and international marketing by the CICAE (International Confederation of Arthouse Cinemas) and 600+ art house theaters, in 37 countries.

Since 2016, the CICAE has organized the European Arthouse Cinema Day, celebrating arthouse theaters around the world, their audiences, and of course, European films. With the goal of introducing the diversity of European films to new audiences and promoting local arthouse cinemas as community hubs, the EACD supports theaters in developing exciting new programmes designed to boost film literacy and awareness, so European films reach the audiences they deserve. 

In 2023, the EACD highlighted the work of European animators – including using visuals by Latvian filmmaker Signe Baumane, whose film My Love Affair with Marriage was a 2022 European Film Awards nominee, in both flyers and trailers for EACD 2023 across the world.

For the 2023 edition of Cinema Day, the CICAE coordinated a global social media campaign across Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn which reached two million users. Promotional materials for the event were translated into 10 languages, to ensure access and interest. EACD 2023 was also covered by print and industry media such as Screen International and Film New Europe.

Our 2023 ambassadors German director Ilker Çatak and Italian director Matteo Garrone promoted the project and participated in special events on the day. Other industry and celebrity patrons and former ambassadors included Alice Diop, Stephen Frears, Agnieszka Holland, Ruben Östlund, Céline Sciamma, Ildikó Enyedi, Sandra Hüller, and Isabelle Huppert.

The CICAE worked with distributors, sales agents, rights holders, festivals, producers and filmmakers, not only to bring European film to new audiences but to strengthen connections between arthouse cinemas. 

• In Sweden, Spain, and France, theaters live-streamed conversations with directors and actors to other countries around the countries, making special events accessible to much larger audiences. 

• A screening of UN AMOR at the Golem Madrid Cinema followed by a Q&A with the director and 2023 ambassador Isabel Coixet was live streamed for more than 20 cinemas across Spain. 

• The CICAE helped to produce an introduction and a short conversation with the director İlker Çatak that was shown alongside a national premier of THE TEACHER’S LOUNGE in Sweden. 

• In Berlin, the Yorck Kinos organized a celebration of the 25 year anniversary of Lola Rennt at the iconic Kino International. The sold out screening was followed by a panel with actor Joachim Krol, cinematographer Frank Griebe, and director Tom Tykwer. 

These events develop both each theater’s relationship to their community and help to push the industry forward, as cinema professionals were able to experiment with new formats and collaborate with the support of international networks.

For arthouse cinemas, of course, every day is cinema day. November 2024 might seem like a long way off, but planning for the ninth edition of European Arthouse Cinema Day is already beginning on the Arthouse Cinema Hub, along with news about innovative projects and notes about best practices.

Arthouse cinema is about experimentation, diversity and imagination – all of which are best practiced with a little help from our friends and partners : 

• Creative Europe Media 
• FFA
• Eurimages
• Europa Cinemas
• Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien
• le Ministère de la culture
• Direzione Generale Cinema e audiovisivo
• Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg 
• Lux Audience Award
• European Film Academy
• Cineuropa
• European Film Factory
• CNC
• AFCAE
• AG Kino
• FICE
• Independent Pictures
• AIACE,
• Arthouse Cinema Vlaanderen
• Art-Mozi Egyesület
• NAAS
• AECinema
• Stowarzyszenie Kin Studyjnych
• Nederlands Filmtheater Overieg
• Riksföreningen Biograferna
• Promio
• Eave
• Unifrance
• France.tv
• Télérama
• Positif
• Titrafilm
• Mio Cinema