Acclaimed Danish film director Thomas Vinterberg is the winner of the 2013 European Union Prix MEDIA. The prize is awarded to the best new film project with box-office potential eligible for support from the EU MEDIA programme for cinema. The award will be presented to Vinterberg by Androulla Vassiliou, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, at the Cannes Film Festival on Sunday, 19 May – the director's 44th birthday.

Vinterberg shares the award with co-writer Tobias Lindholm and producer Sisse Graum (Zentropa) for their new project Kollektivet (The Commune), which tells the story of life in a Danish commune in the 1970s and which is due to go into production next year. The award ceremony, which is open to media, takes place in the Palais des festivals (Café des Palmes) at 11:30.

“Development is such a vital and hugely creative part of the film process. It is great to have an institution like the MEDIA programme of the European Union that acknowledges and supports film-making at its most delicate stage,” said Vinterberg.

“This is a thoroughly deserved award for one of Europe's most exciting directorial talents. Thomas's films are never ordinary: always thought-provoking, beautifully told and beautifully acted. He's not afraid to take risks and, after the worldwide success of his 2012 masterpiece Jagten, we all eagerly look forward to his next release. I am also thrilled to see that the film project which won the inaugural EU Prix MEDIA in 2012, Le Passé by Asghar Farhadi, was selected for this year's official competition at Cannes,” said Commissioner Vassiliou.