As a lifelong advocate for progressive values and a passionate film enthusiast, I find myself deeply moved by the resilience of European filmmakers in these challenging times. The way they have risen to the occasion, standing tall against oppressive forces, is truly inspiring. It’s as if they are the modern-day knights, not with swords and shields, but with cameras and scripts, fighting for truth, justice, and the preservation of our cherished values.
In December 2016, not long after Donald Trump was inaugurated as president for the first time, the European Film Awards began with a skit reminiscent of Saturday Night Live. Agnieszka Holland, positioned behind a fake Oval Office desk and surrounded by guards brandishing machine guns, impersonated the president.
The chairwoman of the European Film Academy announced, “We have taken over the White House,” and stated that she and her team would not depart until democracy and acceptance were reestablished. As intolerance increases, she emphasized that the contributions of European filmmakers are now more crucial than ever.
Following the 2024 presidential election, liberal artists in Hollywood are left disheartened by the prospect of another Trump term. In response, filmmakers, film festivals, and cultural institutions in Europe are once more stepping up to champion progressive ideals on a global scale.
Matthijs Wouter Knol, the current head of EFA, asserts that compared to other regions, Europe continues to prioritize democracy, human rights, and freedom of speech, recognizing their importance and need for protection. He anticipates that the artists honored at this year’s European Film Awards on December 7 in Lucerne, Switzerland, will once again use their platforms to speak out against figures like Trump and the far right.
Havana Marking, a British documentary filmmaker and director of ‘Undercover: Exposing the Far Right‘, expresses that same sense of urgency, stating we must invest even more in political films at this critical time. She finds it thrilling.
Following the U.S. election, it was announced that the 2025 edition of Sweden’s Göteborg Film Festival, a significant event within the Scandinavian film industry, would dedicate a special section to “the strength of civil resistance and disobedience.” This section will showcase films addressing topics such as abortion rights (as depicted in Dea Kulumbegashvili’s emotional drama April), the impact of climate change (through the Finnish documentary Once Upon a Time in a Forest) and a harsh criticism of Israeli occupation in the West Bank (in the documentary No Other Land)).
In her discussion, Pia Lundberg, the artistic director of the Göteborg festival, expressed that our conversation encompassed not just the current events in the U.S., but also authoritarian regimes across the globe. We delved into topics such as courage, resistance, and how defiance and disobedience are frequently essential components of showing bravery and standing up against oppression.
With some people worried that Trump’s win might stifle the creation and distribution of films with left-wing views, the producer of “Undercover: Exposing the Far Right”, Marking, shares his difficulty in finding an American buyer after the election, stating it now seems highly improbable. However, there’s optimism that Europe may offer a safe haven for progressive cinema.
The controversial series “The Apprentice,” featuring Sebastian Stan as Donald Trump and Jeremy Strong as his ’80s mentor Roy Cohn (portrayed by Danish and Irish financiers), was directed by Ali Abbasi, a Danish-Iranian director. Initially, U.S. funding from Kinematics, owned by billionaire Dan Snyder with ties to Trump, seemed crucial for production; however, the project almost fell through when Snyder objected to its portrayal of the former president. Eventually, Snyder relinquished his ownership stake in the movie back to “The Apprentice” producer James Shani.
Over the next four years, it’s likely that American progressive cinema could face a friendlier atmosphere in Europe rather than the U.S. According to Knol, “The allure and opportunity for filmmaking in Europe, as a location where such films can still be produced, will only increase.
Warning is given that Europe’s move towards authoritarianism may not foster a positive future for cinema’s progressiveness, since Europe’s film industry relies significantly on government subsidies for financing, unlike its counterpart in the U.S.
As a gamer, I’ve been following the unfolding events in the political landscape closely. Just months after the Netherlands swore in its most right-wing government in modern history, a film titled “Undercover: Exposing the Far Right” had its festival premiere at the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam. Meanwhile, far-right or nationalist parties are leading the way in Italy and Hungary, part of the government in Finland, and lending support to the governments in Sweden and Serbia. The upcoming German national elections in February are predicted to witness a significant upsurge in support for the extremist Alternative for Germany party, the AfD.
According to Marking, “The IDFA has been highly enthusiastic about our film and eager to screen it, believing it is crucial given the current context they’re operating in.” However, smaller festivals, which are more reliant on state funds, are growing anxious in case newly-elected right-wing governments decide to withdraw their financial support.
European filmmakers and cultural establishments could view themselves as a fresh form of opposition against the incoming Trump administration. However, with far-right ideologies spreading throughout Europe, it might be wiser for the European industry to recognize that defending “democracy and acceptance” could start within their own communities.
Originally published in the November 13th edition of The Hollywood Reporter magazine, you can get a subscription to read it yourself by clicking here.
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2024-11-21 18:55