Where is Europe Going?

As of this year, what used to be a subversive film festival is turning into a subversive month: a series of programmes will be organized in Zagreb during the whole month of May for some revolutionary considerations about the future of Europe. It will all start with the 5th Subversive Film Festival (5 to 12 May), and continue with a large Subversive Forum and numerous debates. Over a hundred experts from across Europe have announced their arrival.

The Subversive Film Festival is expanding its activities. As of this year, besides the film festival (from 5 to 12 May) titled Europa Incognita, which will feature a series of interesting poetical, social and economic films, Zagreb will also host over a hundred international experts who will gather here to discuss some important topics concerning the future of Europe and the crisis we have been witnessing. The experts, however, are not political power wielders but authorities in their respective fields of activity (the social sciences of social, economic and ideological aspects). They will try to provide answers to the questions that are currently on the minds of all Europeans.

According to announcements by the “subversive month” organizers, the future of Europe will be the most important theme, as it is no news that the European Union project is facing its biggest economic, financial, social and ideological crisis since it was created. Across the continent, instead of solidarity, we are witnessing the resurrection of national selfishness, the rise of the extreme right, intolerance and racism. The Mediterranean countries which have been hardest hit by the crisis have also shown us a possible response to it: the appearance of strong social movements demanding social justice, a different economic model and direct democracy. These protests will be the most important aspect of the Subversive Forum, which consists of a number of events that will take place in May 2012; including an international conference dedicated to the main theme “The Future of Europe”, numerous debates on “The Crisis of Europe” (May 14 – 15), “The Struggle for the Commons” (May 16) and “Towards the Balkan Social Forum” (May 17 – 18). There will also be a Subversive Book Fair which will run parallel with the forum. 

More than 100 participants from Greece, Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Albania, Slovenia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Austria, Italy, UK, India and Senegal are expected to participate in the debates.