My pal L. writes from Copenhagen today, “EU has launched a sexed-up youtube clip to advertise the commissions program MEDIA, which provides subsidies to filmmakers in the EU. The ad has a title worthy of any (American) porn flick: It’s called ‘Coming together to celebrate European films’ (duh!). What are the odds that the US federal government would ever put out a ad campaign like that? Also, I saw the EAMB a week ago! Man, are they great.”

It’s also relevant to me because yesterday I was discussing with friends what I’d like to see in a collection of my favorite/hottest mainstream movie scenes — I’d definitely have to add this to the kitty. The video is embedded after the jump. Yum!

Update: Uh-oh, Fox News found out about it: Sex Scenes in European Commission YouTube Clip Cause Controversy, snip:

“Cheap, tawdry and tacky,” was the reaction of Godfrey Bloom of Britain’s euro-skeptic U.K. Independence Party, who described the clip as “soft porn” and a potential waste of taxpayers’ money.

The Commission’s foray onto the popular video-sharing Web site, he said, “was like watching an elderly relative trying to be cool: very embarrassing.”

And EU lawmaker Maciej Giertych of Poland, from the conservative League of Polish Families, has accused the commission of using “immoral methods” of promotion, according to the British Broadcasting Corp.

But Commission spokesman Martin Selmayr said the shots in the clip - drawn from award-winning films such as “Amelie” and “Bad Education” - highlighted Europe’s tradition of rich cinema.

Selmayr said Tuesday that he had not received any complaints about the video, which was presented at the Berlin Film Festival in February as part of a four-clip media campaign. The other three highlight joy, sadness and friendship.

Link.

* * * * * * *