How do we live in Europe? What do we really know about our �fellow countrymen�? With its partners, Franco-German channel ARTE inaugurated an ambitious collection of twenty documentaries which explore the lives of various inhabitants of the European Union. Be they squatters, ministers, farmers or holidaymakers, they were followed by young film-makers from their country equipped only with a basic digital camera. These are entertaining portraits which both arouse our curiosity and encourage reflection, sometimes with a provocative and ironic tone.

In what way do we feel that we belong to the EU? To our minds, how important is a European identity for individuals, nations and regions? In our journey across the European Union, we first encounter the opinions of the EU�s most politicized nation, Greece, the cradle of democracy. We then visit the EU�s many groups and ethnic minorities in Denmark, the Netherlands, Ireland, Catalonia, the Basque country, the UK, France, Portugal and Italy. We meet people who are giving their all in an attempt to preserve and to cultivate their own identity. What does it mean to be a European citizen, and what is the impact of this on our everyday lives?

Credits

Directed by

E.Colusso, M. Econimou, K. Fountas, B. Gon�alves, R. Leizaola, E. Mo, M. Nolte, M. O'Kane, S. Vellani

Co-writers:

Colin Luke

Produced by

Cie des phares et balises & MOISAIC FILMS (G.B), Arte G.E.I.E., BBC (G.B), TV2 (DK), YLE (FIN), NPS (P.B), TV4 (SUE)

Technical information

Copyright :

2000

Running time:

26 minutes

Broadcasts :

Arte (06/26/00), BBC (U.K), TV2 (DK), YLE (FIN), NPS (NL), TV4 (SWE)