The European Independent Film Festival (ECU) discovers, promotes and projects the best independent films from around the world every year at La Bibliotheque Nationale de France in Paris. This year's festival will take place March 13-15, 2009. Approximately 100 films will be selected to compete in 13 categories, including features, shorts, documentaries, animation, student films and experimental. The festival's official selection will represent the pinnacle of contemporary filmmaking talent from around the world and compete for 22 awards including the prestigious title of "Europe's Best Independent Film". At ECU 2008, dozens of distribution agreements were signed, and several films were sold directly after their screening. Since its inception four years ago, ECU has become the premier arena in Europe for independent filmmakers to screen their films to large international audiences, to network with producers, talent scouts, agents and distributors as well as exchange ideas with other indie filmmakers. The ECU festival is regularly referred to as Europe's version of the Sundance Film Festival. After the Paris festival screenings in March 2009, a selection of ECU's award-winning films will be presented at our partner festivals around the world. The early deadline for submissions is December 15, 2008 and the late deadline is January 15, 2009. Independent filmmakers are invited to submit their films at www.ecufilmfestival.com.