Eurimages backs 15 Euro pix

Film body awards $4.5 mil in funding

By CHRISTIAN KOEHL

COLOGNE -- European film funding body Eurimages has earmarked €4.1 million ($4.5 million) for 15 pics, all of which are border-crossing co-operations.

Eurimages has awarded $500,000 each to Frederic Fonteyne's "La Femme de Gilles," Manuel Pionier's "Chemins de Traverse," Roberto Ando's "Uno Strano Crimine," and "Agata e la Tempesta" by Swiss helmer Silvio Soldini.

Scandinavian production "Pelikaanimies" directed by Lisa Helminen as well as French-Belgian projects "Pour le Plaisier" (Dominique Deruddere) and "Dans le Champs de Bataille" (Danielle Arbid) have each been awarded $300,000.

Other productions supported to the tune of $200,000 are "The Paradise Girls" by Dutch helmer Fow Pyng Hu, Peter Payer's "Villa Henriette," Dimitris Stavrakas' "To Perasma," and "O Milagre Segundo Salome" by Portugal's Mario Barroso.