NIKI, the directorial debut of Céline Sallette, tells the compelling story of the legendary French-American artist Niki de Saint Phalle. The film explores her journey as a young mother and aspiring model in McCarthy-era America, and her eventual escape to France, where she confronts her haunting past. Nominated for the Caméra d'Or at Cannes and supported by Creative Europe Media, NIKI beautifully captures the artist’s complex life, blending history and creativity in a stunning cinematic experience.
Before the screening, Laura Houlgatte, CEO of UNIC, and Robert Heslop, Secretary General of FIAD, shared remarks on the critical role of film distributors and cinemas in preserving and promoting the magic of cinema-going. They emphasised the importance of safeguarding principles such as territoriality, which underpin Europe’s diverse film ecosystem.
MEP Emma Rafowicz, Vice-Chair of the European Parliament Culture and Education committee, also addressed the audience, highlighting the importance of cinema as a communal experience that brings people together. She further underscored the need to promote gender equality in the film industry and the importance of supporting female filmmakers to ensure diverse voices are represented both on and off the screen.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to our co-organising partners at FIAD and to UGC for hosting the event. A special thanks to MEP Emma Rafowicz and to everyone who joined us for an unforgettable evening of cinema.
We look forward to our next screening in Brussels—stay tuned!