LUX Audience Award: invitation to interview Sofia Exarchou, director of “Animal”

Journalists are invited to express their interest in interviewing director Sofia Exarchou, who will be in Brussels on 14 and 15 January for the screenings of “Animal”.

One of the five finalists of the 2025 LUX Audience Film Award, “Animal” will be screened on 14 January at the Cinema Galeries and on 15 January at the European Parliament Info Hub, in the presence of the Greek director Sofia Exarchou, who will be available for interviews.

In line with EU efforts to guarantee fair working conditions, the film addresses critical issues related to workers' rights and their mental health in the workplace, focusing in particular on the lives of young workers in precarious positions.

The European Parliament has been at the forefront of efforts to ensure decent work conditions, fair wages, and mental health support. It has adopted the European Pillar of Social Rights to guarantee fair working conditions for all, including for those in temporary or precarious jobs, such as seasonal workers in tourism. It also adopted a resolution on mental health in the digital world of work, calling for action to safeguard work life balance and psychological well-being.

If you are interested in interviewing Sofia Exarchou, write an email to Eliana.Capretti@europarl.europa.eu by 13 January (12.00). Slots are available on 15 January, from 3 to 5 pm.

Interviews may be held in English and Greek (no interpretation).

To attend the screenings, followed by a Q&A session with the director, please register here:

14 January, Cinema Galeries (18.30)

15 January, European Parliament Info Hub (18.00)

Watch and rate

The audience is invited to rate the films alongside members of the European Parliament on the LUX Audience Award's rating platform, forming the largest EU jury to help choose the winner out of the final selection list. Organised by the European Parliament and the European Film Academy in partnership with the European Commission and Europa Cinema since 2020, the LUX Audience Award combines the ratings of the European public and MEPs, each accounting for 50% of the final result.

Background

Between October 2024 and April 2025, the European Parliament is organising screenings of the five shortlisted films of the 2025 LUX Audience Film Award in the presence of directors and other representatives, members of the Parliament, public and journalists.

The shortlisted films address values upon which the EU is built. They raise awareness about some of today’s main social and political issues such as the tourism industry, employment rights, youth work, mental health, gender equality, women rights, the war in Ukraine, democracy, colonialism, cultural heritage, looted art, climate change, environment and solidarity.