The MEDIA Prize 2003 awarded to Peter Mullan

Viviane Reding, European Commissioner for Culture and the Audiovisual Industry is to conclude European Day in Cannes by awarding the MEDIA Prize 2003 to the 'The Magdalene Sisters' by Peter Mullan.
With the support of the MEDIA programme, Peter Mullan's second feature-length film has been distributed in 12 European countries in addition to its country of production, and has been seen by several million cinema-goers across Europe.
Reding said: "I am pleased that the MEDIA Prize 2003 is going to Peter Mullan's film about intolerance and the status of women, a magnificent film that is a credit to Scottish and thus European cinema. This prize is a testimony to the creativity and vitality of European cinema and shows that European films can be box-office successes in different European countries while still retaining their own personality."
This is the second feature-length film by Peter Mullan, the director of 'Orphans' (1997) and several short films, who has already been rewarded at Cannes with a Best Actor Prize for his role in Ken Loach's 'My Name is Joe' in 1998.
The Media prize, set up by Viviane Reding in 2000, is awarded each year to a first or second full-length feature film produced with MEDIA support, and which has been distributed in the largest number of countries outside its country of production and has reached a substantial audience.
The prize consists of a glass sculpture and euro 25,000.
Previous award winners include 'East is East' by Damien O'Donnell (in 2000), 'Une Liaison pornographique' by Frédéric Fonteyne (2001), and 'No Man's Land' by Danis Tanovic (2002).
(GB/SP)