European cinema flourishes. European blockbusters challenge Hollywood's domination of the industry and prize-winning art-house productions influence directors in American and beyond. Whether attempting to engage with the past, explore the present or predict the future, today's European films display a verve and originality that challenges the older stereotypes.

Contemporary European Cinema presents an overview of the dynamics of twenty-first century European cinema, exploring the artistic, commercial and production contexts of European cinema in order to identify the areas in which the continent's filmmakers express their national concerns and identities. Taking a thematic approach the volume draws on a wide range of case studies from different countries to reflect the breadth of contemporary European cinema.

Mary Wood is Reader in European Cinema at Birkbeck College, University of London, UK.