The Association des Cinémathèques Européennes (ACE) launched on 19 May the sixth edition of A Season of Classic Films at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, unveiling its new catalogue featuring over 40 newly restored films from 27 European archives. This annual initiative, supported by the Creative Europe MEDIA programme of the European Union, offers free screenings in cinemas and online, promoting the value of film heritage and preservation, with a focus on engaging younger audiences. Since its inception, the programme has enabled the restoration and distribution of over 210 European films.
View the full A Season of Classic Films 2025 Programme (PDF)
A Journey Through European Film History
The 2025 programme spans a diverse array of genres and themes, from silent films like Erdgift (1919, Germany) and early horror Curses of the Witch (1927, Finland), to neorealist classics like Riso amaro (1949, Italy) and Bitter Bread (1951, Greece). Women’s perspectives shine in Hush-a-Bye Baby (1990, Ireland) on sexual autonomy, Look, She Has Her Eyes Wide Open (1979, France) on reproductive rights, and Light and Shadow (1943, Hungary), one of Hungary’s earliest films directed by a woman. Documentary highlights include Caméra arabe (1987) exploring Arab cinema, The Underground Orchestra (1997, Netherlands) capturing the healing power of music, and a selection of shorts by Sarajevo School of Documentary founder Vlatko Filipović. The programme also celebrates the breakout films of major auteurs such as Nanni Moretti (Ecce Bombo, 1978) and Suzanne Osten (Mama, 1982).
€70,000 Grant Boosts Cross-Border Collaboration in Film Restoration
Beyond the restored films presented by each archive, A Season of Classic Films fosters cross-border cooperation in film preservation through its Joint Restoration Grant. Established in 2022, the grant supports archives in sharing film elements, best practices, and restoration techniques by inviting collaborative projects involving at least three European film archives.
At the Cannes event, ACE announced the recipient of the 2025 Joint Restoration Grant of €70,000: Ivica Matić’s feature Woman with a Landscape (1976, Yugoslavia) and five of his experimental shorts. This restoration will be a collaboration between the Slovenian Cinematheque, the Croatian State Archive – Croatian Cinematheque, Archives of the Republic of Slovenia – Slovenian Film Archive, and the Austrian Film Museum. The selection jury, composed of filmmaker Elina Psykou, critic Federico Gironi, and ARTE’s Sophie Tran, praised Matić’s work for its “bold visual style and striking legacy, which deserve wider recognition.”
Expanding Reach of Classic Films
The restored films will be screened between June and December 2025, featuring talks, masterclasses, live music, and educational activities. Selected titles, subtitled in English, will also be available free of charge online. To support further distribution, the programme’s catalogue provides contextual information and direct contacts for programmers interested in screening these cinematic treasures.
Launch Event at Cannes
The launch event at Cannes was moderated by Paulina Reizi, Coordinator of A Season of Classic Films. Special guests included Alessandra Luchetti, Deputy Director of the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) and Head of Department for Creativity, Citizens, EU Values and Joint Operations, Soon-Mi Peten, Head of Sector Audience, Creative Europe MEDIA at EACEA, filmmaker Elina Psykou, and Sophie Tran, Deputy Director of the Cinema Unit, ARTE.
JOINT FILM RESTORATION GRANT 2025 – JURY MEMBERS
Elina Psykou is a Greek filmmaker named one of Variety’s “10 European Directors to Watch” for her debut The Eternal Return of Antonis Paraskevas (2013, Berlinale). Her second feature Son of Sofia won the Best International Narrative Feature Award at Tribeca in 2017, and her latest work, the documentary Stray Bodies, premiered to critical acclaim at CPH:DOX in 2024. She is currently developing her fourth feature, Patrimonial Fears and Other Illusions. In 2016, she co-founded The Lost Highway of Greek Cinema to highlight the variety and charm of her country’s national production.
Federico Gironi is currently collaborating with Alberto Barbera, director of the Venice Film Festival, on curating the Venice Classics section of the Mostra. Before this, he was a programmer for the Torino Film Festival, and he has been working as a film critic and journalist since 2001. He is a member of the SNCCI (Italian National Union of Film Critics) and the Accademia del Cinema Italiano, which awards the David di Donatello. He also teaches film theory and analysis at NABA in Rome.
Sophie Tran began her career as Artistic Advisor for foreign fiction and cinema acquisitions at TF1 (1996–2002), then served as Programme Advisor for cinema acquisitions at France Télévisions until 2012. She later became Deputy Director of Cinema and Foreign Fiction Acquisitions at France Télévisions before joining ARTE France in July 2018 as Deputy Director of the Cinema Unit.
View the full A Season of Classic Films 2025 Programme (PDF)
ABOUT THE ASSOCIATION DES CINÉMATHÈQUES EUROPÉENNES (ACE)
The Association of European Cinematheques (Association des Cinémathèques Européennes – ACE) brings together 51 European national and regional film archives, dedicated to preserving and promoting both European and international film heritage. ACE members are non-profit institutions committed to the FIAF Code of Ethics.
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