The European University Institute (EUI) presents Visions of Europe, a film series mostly unseen in Italy from January to June at Palazzo Buontalenti. The screenings will be followed by debates with prominent experts, including Nathalie Tocci, Tommaso Nannicini and Bill Emmott.

The first event will take place on January 29 at 6.30pm, with the Italian premiere of Democracy Under Siege (2024). The documentary follows Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Ann Telnaes of the Washington Post, who recently resigned after 18 years with the newspaper in protest against the censorship of one of her cartoons. In the cartoon, she depicted her editor Jeff Bezos and other prominent figures from tech and media companies kneeling before Donald Trump.
Directed by Mstyslav Chernov and winner of the 2024 Oscar for Best Documentary, 20 Days in Mariupol (2023) will be shown on February 26, followed by a debate on the return of war to Europe, featuring Bill Emmott, former editor of the Economist. Meanwhile, Blue Carbon (2023), scheduled for March 26, is a spectacular documentary directed by Emmy and BAFTA award winner Nicolas Brown, starring celebrity DJ Jayda G. The remaining three dates are still to be confirmed.
Visions of Europe aims to offer Florence an innovative format to stimulate the exchange of ideas between citizens and the knowledge of the European University Institute (EUI) and its school of public policy, the Florence School of Transnational Governance (STG), hosted in the recently restored Palazzo Buontalenti. Located in Florence’s historic center, this space becomes a venue for reflection on the shared challenges facing Europe and the rest of the world. The six evenings will delve into the major challenges that Europe and the contemporary world are facing: war and peace, the climate emergency, the erosion of democratic systems and the rise of populism. The aim is to encourage reflection and a deeper understanding of our world during this period of rapid transformation.

The documentaries will be screened in the original language with Italian subtitles, and admission is free with prior registration. The debates between experts, academics, students and the citizens of Florence are curated by Fabrizio Tassinari, Executive Director of the Florence School of Transnational Governance at the European University Institute. The screening program is curated by Annalisa Piras, documentary filmmaker, journalist and director of the non-profit foundation Wake Europe Project, dedicated to “better informing on the issues of European integration”.