The European Parliament is expected to award the third LUX Prize to the French film ‘Welcome’, on 25 November. Directed by Philippe Lioret, the film tells the story of a Kurdish illegal immigrant who wants to swim across the English Channel. The choice is highly symbolic considering the controversy the film sparked when it was released in France. French Immigration Minister Eric Besson lashed out at Lioret for having compared the situation of undocumented immigrants with that of Jews in 1943. Among the ten films officially selected, ‘Welcome’ was named a finalist with two others, ‘Eastern plays’ by Kamen Kalev and ‘Sturm’ by Hans-Christian Schmid. The LUX Prize, which symbolises Parliament’s commitment in the field of culture, aims to light the way for public debate on the future of Europe and facilitate the circulation of European films.