For the past 14 years, the film festival has acted as a cultural route between India and Europe. “EU keeps aside around 15 million euros annually to help fund films, many of which have won awards at festivals, including Cannes and the Oscars,” added Kmonicek.

Many such films from 2008 will be screened at the festival — the Spanish Seven Billiard Tables, a sensitive story of two unlikely women who are thrown together after a loved one’s death, was nominated for nine Goya Awards, Spain’s highest film honour, while Teah from Slovenia is a magical story of a 10-year-old boy. The 19-film package also includes Arabian Nights from Luxembourg, Relatives from Hungary, Greek domestic drama Totally Married and a hard-hitting thriller The Front Line.