The Representation of European Identity in Films Supported by the Council of Europe

The goal of this study was to examine how films which have received funding from European Institutions such as the European Union and the Council of Europe have represented the concept of European identity from 2020 – 2022. These institutions were established in the wake of the second world war as a mechanism to promote harmony and create a sense of unity between European states. They have notably mobilised this goal through the support and promotion of European cinema as a tool to bring European states closer together. The main focus of the study was the Eurimages cultural support fund, an initiative of the council of Europe which offers funding for films co-produced by its member states. A steady rise in Euroscepticism has spurred a crisis of identity within Europe over the last decade. Taking film as an important tool for measuring how societies reflect upon themselves, this study has sought to determine how European identity has been represented in films funded by these institutions to determine whether these funds can be considered a successful tool for promoting European unity. The study was realised by conducting a qualitative thematic analysis of a sample of films which were in receipt of funding from the Eurimages cultural support fund. Three films were used as part of the sample and analysed through both their textual and visual content. Through the study European identity was represented through the following themes - (1) the character’s navigation of the hegemonic social structures of European societies such as the issues surrounding gender and social class, (2.) The importance of the expression of identity, (3.) A preoccupation with conflict and suffering, (4.) interdependence and reliance on one and other. The findings showed that the films all essentially promoted the positive aspects of unity through their representations of European identity. It was ultimately concluded that European Identity is a highly complex multifaceted concept that will never have one clear definition but can rather be used as a tool to reflect on the contrasts and similarities different European cultures share, to reflect on anxieties and fears, and to express individual’s identities.