Nostalgia and Displacement in Contemporary European Cinema

This open access book offers a comprehensive exploration of the intricate interplay between nostalgia and displacement in contemporary European cinema. Through the lens of significant films, it navigates the profound impact of these concepts on storytelling and audience engagement. By examining the portrayal of displaced characters grappling with feelings of longing and belonging, readers are invited to confront universal truths about the human experience, fostering empathy and understanding across cultural boundaries. The chapters delve into the aesthetics and thematic elements of films such as Fatih Akin’s The Edge of Heaven, Miguel Gomes’ Tabu, Salomé Lamas’ Extinction, Ben Sharrock’s Limbo, and Mario Martone’s Nostalgia. These works reveal how nostalgia and displacement serve as powerful storytelling devices, enriching narratives and inviting viewers into immersive cinematic experiences. By unraveling how these themes manifest within cinematic narratives, readers gain insights into the cultural, historical, and emotional dimensions of European cinema.Filmmakers, scholars, students, and enthusiasts of film studies will find this exploration both intellectually stimulating and emotionally rewarding. This study offers new perspectives on the enduring impact of nostalgia and displacement in modern storytelling, shedding light on the evolving landscape of filmmaking in Europe and its relevance in a globalized world.

Tasos Giapoutzis [Yia-pou-tzis] is a filmmaker and Lecturer in Film at the University of Essex, UK. He holds a doctorate in Film by Creative Practice from the University of York (2023). His work as both a researcher and filmmaker centres on the filmmaking process and the aesthetic, spatial, and temporal dimensions of cinema, with a particular focus on memory, nostalgia, place, and displacement. His practice-based research has been published in esteemed journals including Screenworks and the Journal of Anthropological Films. Alongside his academic work, Tasos is an internationally exhibited director and alumnus of the Go Short Talent Campus in Nijmegen, the Talent Development Campus in Cork, and the Reykjavik Talent Lab. His films have been screened at over 100 film festivals worldwide. His feature documentary Quiet Life (2019) premiered nationally at the 21st Thessaloniki Documentary Festival and internationally at the 18th DokuFest in Kosovo. Tasos is currently developing Mnemonic Muse, a feature-length film exploring nostalgia as an affective response to displacement.