Synopsis

In Greek mythology, Europa was a Phoenician woman whose beauty inspired the love of Zeus, who captured her and brought her to Crete. Aphrodite named this new continent in her honor: Europe, the “far seeing woman.”

But what has become of Europe today? And what might it become? In Search for Europe, a cinematographic journey across the continent, drops us deep into these questions. What connects the very different European societies, cultures, and people besides a—quite painful—common history? Are Europe and the EU the same? Are people across the continent joined simply by shared economic interests, or is there something deeper that connects them all?

As the film travels across Europe, we meet characters who embody pieces of that “far seeing” quality woven into the mythology of the continent: a choir of Muslims, Orthodox Christians, and Catholics in Sarajevo singing sacred music together; a British historian searching for women’s stories to include in a male-dominated historiography; a Belgian soldier who is dismantling ammunition from WW1; and many more.

As it explores the complex history and incredible potential of this diverse continent, the film asks: how do we want to live together on this continent?