Exhibiting Europe at European Union film festivals

The aim of the EU Film Festivals (EUFFs), organised by EU delegations in third countries, is to promote European cinema and European values internationally.This suggests that at EUFFs films are seen as a form of public diplomacy to foster European creativity and values considered European. As most EU delegations organise an EUFF, a consortium has been established to support the festivals. The consortium provides a repository of European films that organisers can borrow to screen at their festivals. According to the consortium, the films in the repository should be of high quality, entertaining, and promote European values. This article analyses six films selected to showcase European creativity and values at EUFFs. Based on qualitative content and style analysis, the term middlebrow is used to characterise the films. According to the analysis, films that touch on social and political issues yet remain light-hearted and easy to follow were favoured. These features reflect the consortium’s audience-friendly criteria. The article asks which ”European values” EU institutions wish to see associated with European films and who decides which values will be projected outside the EU.