Euro-Million Arthouse Films: Diverse and Insightful Stories, Niche Audiences

This chapter examines which European arthouse films travelled well during the early-2000s, focusing on how such films represented Europe, who they appealed to and why. Between 2005 and 2015, there were 49 European arthouse films that secured at least 1 million non-national admissions, including Volver, Amour, The Hunt, The Angels’ Share, Rust and Bone, Two Days One Night, Blue Is the Warmest Colour, Ida, and The Lives of Others. These Euro-million arthouse films attracted audiences for various reasons, including their association with particular directors, awards, nationalities, subject matter, stars, and genre traits. They also benefitted from strong promotion and distribution thanks to generous support from the EU’s MEDIA programme. Compared with their mainstream counterparts, Euro-million arthouse films represented a greater diversity of European nationalities. They also provided powerful insights into the realities of European life with stories tackling such topics as disadvantaged groups and individuals, the challenges of ageing, mental health problems, contemporary fears, and traumatic historical episodes. However, their potential to improve understandings of other countries in Europe and foster a stronger sense of European identity was constrained by their niche demographic appeal and the lack of interest in films representing new voices or perspectives.