Lecce paid tribute to Lars von Trier, Protagonist of European Cinema at the 26th edition of the European Film Festival, honoring him with the Golden Olive Tree Award for Career Achievement (Premio Ulivo d’Oro alla Carriera).

Accepting the award on his behalf was his inseparable collaborator and producer, Louise Vesth, a key figure at Zentropa who has worked alongside the director for years.

The European Film Festival thus celebrated an auteur who has redefined the language of European cinema, exploring the limits of the human soul and filmic representation with radicalism and vision. Today, he remains one of the most beloved and influential Danish filmmakers on the international scene.

Ten titles were presented, spanning from his debut to his most recent works:

– The Element of Crime (Forbrydelsens element, 1984)
– Epidemic (1987)
– Europa (1991)
– Breaking the Waves (1996)
– Dancer in the Dark (2000)
– Dogville (2003)
– Melancholia (2011)
– Nymphomaniac: Vol. I & II (2013)
– The House That Jack Built (2018)

With this tribute, the European Film Festival reaffirms its commitment to celebrating both the masters and the new voices of our continent’s cinema, offering the audience a privileged insight into the protagonists who have redefined its language and sensibility.