Conclusion: Limited Unity and Diversity

This chapter draws together the key findings of this study into the transnational viewership and impact of contemporary European film. I conclude that while watching non-national European (NNE) films has improved some people’s understandings of other countries in Europe and strengthened their sense of European identity, this has been limited by audience tastes and behaviour. Audiences in Europe consume few NNE films, and those they do see tend to be mainstream British films or English-language productions, with stories that offer limited cultural diversity or insights into the realities of European life. There are some transnationally popular European arthouse films that represent a broader range of nationalities and tackle serious topics about disadvantaged groups and individuals, age-related and mental health problems, contemporary fears, and traumatic historical episodes. But their appeal is niche and often limited to urban-dwelling university graduates. They can also sometimes underline differences between Europeans rather than strengthen feelings of commonality. I end by considering what these findings mean for EU film policy and the wider academic literature on transnational media flows, European cinema, and film research methods.