Top 200 Most Anticipated Foreign Films of 2023: #100. Sudabeh Mortezai’s Europa

Europa

We jumped the gun a bit last year when we included the latest project by Austrian–Iranian filmmaker Sudabeh Mortezai in our most anticipated list but we can expect this third fiction feature film project to drop at a major film fest this year. Production on Europa began around the month of June last year on what is can be described as a relationship drama between friends with a certain air of malaise. Albania is the backdrop here. Following 2014’s Macondo (Berlinale preemed) and 2018’s Joy (Giornate degli Autori preemed), Europa stars Lilith Stangenberg, Jetnor Gorezi and Steljona Gjika in this Austria-United Kingdom co-production. Cinematographer Klemens Hufnagl reteams with Mortezai.

Gist: This is a portrait of two worlds colliding. Beate represents global, neoliberal capitalism. Jetnor loves the trees and bees more than the achievements of modernity. This confrontation will not end well.

Release Date/Prediction: While Berlinale and Venice are legit world premieres lieus we think an Un Certain Regard premiere in Cannes is a stronger possibility.