The 19th edition of this event which opened on the 3 October 2018 came to a close on 8 November with the presentation of two honorary prizes:

The Odyssée-Council of Europe Prize for Human Rights
went to Captain – L’usurpateur (Der Hauptmann) by Robert Schwentke, a co-production between Germany, France and Poland,
for the force with which it reminds us of how unchannelled totalitarian powers can irrevocably change people. The film is a remarkable reflection on the continuing relevance of the need to reject all forms of totalitarianism.

The Odyssée-Council of Europe Prize for Artistic Creation
went to The Wild Pear Tree (Ahlat Agaci) by Nuri Bilge Ceylan, a co-production between Turkey, France, Belgium and Bulgaria, with the participation of Sweden, “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” and Bosnia and Herzegovina,
for the beauty of the images swept along by a subtle yet intense soundtrack, and the remarkable cinematography infused with dialogues which render with depth and finesse the characters’ emotional landscapes, anchored in a local reality but bearing a universal dimension.

Last but not least, a Special Mention was awarded to the film Loveless (Nelyubov) d’Andrey Zvyagintsev, a co-production between the Russian Federation, France, Germany and Belgium, for its great cinematographic beauty as well as the strength and talent with which it reminds us that a life without love is not really a life.

The Etoiles et Toiles du Cinéma Européen event, the outcome of close collaboration between Eurimages, the Council of Europe’s Cinematographic Co-production Support Fund, and the Odyssée Cinema, Strasbourg, highlights both international auteur cinema and the values which are dear to the institution of the Council of Europe, such as the protection of democracy and promotion of Human Rights.