Movie recommendations 2024

What does the IDM team recommend you to watch during the holidays? 

Looking for a new cinematic adventure? Whether you’re drawn to political thrillers, heartfelt dramas, or groundbreaking animations, the holiday season is the perfect time to explore the rich cultural tapestry of Central Europe and the Danube Region.

This year, why not dive into movies and series that not only entertain but also tell powerful stories about history, resilience and humanity? From celebrated classics to contemporary gems, our team has curated a selection of must-watch titles that will keep you inspired and engaged during the winter break.

Sebastian Schäffer, Director

Weissensee (White Lake)

Now that Ostalgia” (nostalgia for the German Democratic Republic, which was everything but democratic) has been replaced by a tendency to compare present-day Germany with the former socialist state, it is time for a refresher on what life was really like in East Germany. The series, Weissensee (White Lake) unfolds in East Berlin between 1980 and 1990, weaving the intertwined stories of two families against the backdrop of a pivotal era in history. 


Daniela Apaydin

Véletlenül írtam egy könyvet (I Accidentally Wrote a Book)

This recommendation does not come from me, but from Tallinn, where Nóra Lakos’ coming-of-age film, I Accidentally Wrote a Book, recently won an award for Best Film at the international film festival Tallinn Black Nights Just Film. This Dutch-Hungarian production is based on the popular book How Did I Accidentally Write a Book? by Annet Huizing and is set to be released in Hungarian cinemas in mid-January. The film follows a girl who discovers the power of writing as she struggles with the loss of her mother. Despite its sad theme, it promises to be humorous and entertaining for the entire family, offering a unique atmosphere and beautiful imagery. 


Sophia Beiter

Das Leben der Anderen (The Lives of Others)

More from the former East Germany: The Lives of Others is an Oscar-winning political thriller from 2006 about life under the Stasi. It follows a loyal agent of the secret police who undergoes a profound change when tasked with spying on a playwright and his lover. The film depicts the power of art as resistance, the impact of authoritarianism, and the complexity of human conscience. 


Kamila Bogdanova

Ms. President (Prezidentka)

The documentary Ms. President, directed by Marek Šulík, offers an insightful look into the presidency of Zuzana Čaputová, Slovakia’s first female president. It authentically portrays her political challenges, personal sacrifices, and the exhaustion that led to her decision not to seek a second term. Awarded the main prize in the international section at the Ji.hlava festival, the film is a valuable reflection on contemporary political culture and the personal courage of Zuzana Čaputová.


Daniel Martínek

Vlny (Waves)

I thought it would be just another failed attempt of Czech film producers to interpret historical material. However, when I heard that the movie was nominated by the Czechia for Oscar as a candidate for the best international film in 2025, I had to watch it. The film shows that in the crucial times of Czech/Czechoslovak modern history, there are still forgotten stories that are worth paying attention to. The focus of Vlny is the international editorial staff of Czechoslovak Radio, which not only strives for honest journalistic work, at the centre of which is and must be the truth, but which has become the embodiment of extraordinary heroism in the face of an oppressive regime. 


Hanna Obermüller

The Swimmers

The film is a biographical sports drama from 2022, presented as a heartfelt and uplifting narrative centred around the journey of two teenage girls fleeing from Syria with the dream of becoming professional swimmers. The hardships they faced while traveling to and through Europe is greatly illustrated, painting a vivid picture of the challenges and dangers they encountered on their journey. The film also shows the living conditions and challenges they faced upon arriving in Germany. It made me reflect on the resilience of the human spirit and the importance of empathy and support for those in need.  


Malwina Talik

Infamia (Infamy)

Infamia tells the story of a teenage Roma girl who, after spending years in the UK, returns to Poland to live with her relatives. The main protagonist wants to be a rap singer and win the acceptance of her peers. Her relatives have other plans for her. The series provides an insightful look into the Roma community, portraying a range of lifestyles, from those adhering to strict traditional values to others who wish to remain within the community while living on their own terms, but also those who leave it and cut off the contact completely. It also highlights the discrimination faced by the Roma, from covert prejudice or malicious comments to overt violence. The series is accompanied by beautiful music, blending traditional and modern sounds. An interesting fact: Joanna Talewicz, a member of IDM’s International Council, served as a consultant on Roma culture for this Netflix series, which was selected as the best Polish series of 2024. 


Péter Techet

Favoriten

Favoriten is one of the most multicultural districts in Vienna and is often cited in right-wing populist discourse as an example of “parallel societies” and “failed integration.” Historically, this working-class district has always been multiethnic: during the Habsburg monarchy, for example, one-third of its population was Czech. 

The film “Favoriten” does not aim to contribute another argument to the debates about multiculturalism, immigration, and so on. Instead, it focuses on a typical school class composed of children from diverse countries and cultural backgrounds. While life in Favoriten is often challenging – particularly for “foreigners”, who face both social and racial disadvantages – the documentary film depicts how children, their parents and teachers strive to overcome these challenges together. Through her work, director Ruth Beckermann gives a voice to those who are largely unheard in the “grand debates” about Favoriten. The film neither aims to be optimistic nor pessimistic; it simply captures the beautiful as well as the difficult moments in this district. By adopting a grassroots perspective, viewers can gain a deeper understanding of how integration is particularly challenging for those who sincerely strive for it but are continually confronted with accusations of “failure”. 


Rebecca Thorne

Broad Peak

This is a film of superlatives. At more than 8000 metres above sea level, Broad Peak is one of the tallest mountains in the world. And the very first man to climb it in winter was the Polish mountaineer Maciej Berbeka.  

But his journey to the summit was incomplete. 

A quarter of a century later, Berbeka returns for a second attempt. But what is the price of success? Or should we rather be asking, what is success? 


Júlia Mits

Fekete Pont (Lesson Learned)

The film won awards at the Locarno International Film Festival. It portrays archaic school methods and pointless rules through Juci, a rebellious teacher, and Palkó, a student from Berlin. Fekete pont is a powerful story about challenging outdated systems and embracing individuality in a rigid environment. Its themes of rebellion and change resonate with the struggles of the region, making it a thought-provoking, inspiring reflection on societal transformation.

Péter Techet for the AuthLIB-Blog on the German Nationalism of the FPÖ

On the blog of the European project “Neo-Authoritarianisms in Europe and the Liberal Democratic Response”, Péter Techet analyzes the origins of German nationalism in Austria and its significance for the contemporary politics of the Freedom Party.

Read the full blog post here.

Péter Techet for Haaretz on Robert Fico’s Politics

In the Israeli daily Haaretz, Péter Techet analysed the authoritarian and illiberal tendencies of Robert Fico’s government in Slovakia, as well as the differences between Fico and Hungary’s Viktor Orbán.

Read the full article here.

Germany’s Vulnerability to Trump 2.0

America first – Germany first! Sentiments that prevailed in the US are now gaining ground on the other side of the Atlantic, in the country that has Europe’s largest economy and, more recently, was a reliable and outward-looking democracy. Now, it is the very same economy and democracy that are at risk. Of all European countries, Germany’s economy is the most dependent on the US, which makes it particularly vulnerable to the upcoming Trump presidency and, in turn, opens the doors for its own right-wing populism. 

Europe’s reaction 

In the weeks following the US presidential elections on 6 November 2024, a common sentiment in Europe was concern for the future. Gradually, another feeling emerged: frustration. It derived from the sense of helplessness of moderate and left-wing voters in Europe after seeing most Americans vote against the Democratic party and therefore against a more social future for both domestic and international policies. As the election results revealed, Democrats failed to deliver the message that most voters profit from social cohesion and a close-knit international community bound by the rules of international law.  

After frustration, indifference took over: the Americans are the masters of their own fate – let them reap what they sow! However, this perspective oversimplifies the interconnected world where markets and security are intertwined. Through NATO, Europe – and especially Germany – relies on troops, arms and American deterrence for its security, while globalised markets depend on trade agreements to avoid expensive supply chains. The indifferent attitude towards America’s politics also underestimates the capability and plans of the Trump administration. 

Trump 2.0: What to expect 

On the one hand, expectations of a second Trump presidency have a different tone this time around, given that his first term was not the catastrophe many anticipated. Yes, he tried to harm democratic institutions, but they held up. Yes, his foreign policy style was rough and brash, but in substance, he was less unconventional than his demeanour suggested. Experts and professionals – the “adults” in the White House – contained Trump, just as Congress, the laws, the courts, the Constitution, and the very realities of the global landscape did.  

Yet Trump’s second term will likely be much more drastic because of the lessons from his first term. The political initiative “Project 2025” supports this theory, along with Trump’s own threats to prosecute his political opponents, not to mention a Republican House and Senate that will give him almost unlimited power. During his first term, Trump proudly took credit for spearheading the development of COVID-19 vaccines; now he has plans to bring an anti-vaxxer into his cabinet. His foreign policy will continue to be full of uncertainty. The Trump administration will furthermore likely prioritise a withdrawal from the Paris Agreement again – a legally binding international treaty on climate change, which was adopted at the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris – as well as widespread immigration controls, higher tariffs, reduction in support for Ukraine and a more conditional approach to traditional alliances verging on an isolationist stance. Trump views the US goods trade deficit as a major issue and plans to tackle it with punitive tariffs, as he did during his previous term.  

Germany at risk 

While Europe will face collective challenges over the next four years, the impact on individual countries will vary. Germany’s economy will be the most vulnerable to the plans of Trump’s presidency. A big difference compared to the last Trump presidency is Germany’s economic condition when Trump comes into power. In 2016, Germany had a particularly strong economy, which made it nearly immune to the repercussions of the US at that time. However, already feeling the indirect effects of the war in Ukraine and the sanctions on Russia, Germany is now facing an economy in recession. The year 2024 is expected to be the second consecutive year with a shrinking economy, which would be Germany’s first two-year recession in over a decade. Austria, whose economy is very dependent on Germany, will face the same fate. Indeed, the Economist’s “Trump Risk Index” (TRI) anticipates that Trump’s presidency will have a noticeable negative influence on Germany’s economy. On a scale from zero (least exposure) to 100 (most exposure), the Index places Germany at 52.9: the third most exposed country in the worldwide ranking. Only Mexico and Costa Rica score higher.  

Why is Germany so vulnerable? The score takes three categories into account: trade, security and immigration. The numbers show that Germany’s high dependency on US security provision (TRI: 72.8) poses the highest risk after decades of underinvestment in national defence. On the other hand, it also reveals a high TRI score in trade (55.5) caused by a bilateral trade surplus, where Germany’s exports into the US are greater than its imports. The German steel, aluminium and automotive sectors are especially vulnerable due to an expected tariff rise by the end of 2025.  

The ramifications for Germany will be both economic and political. An ongoing recession in 2025 due to the Trump administration’s actions would lead to increased prices, while wages are unlikely to keep pace with inflation, resulting in an increasing number of the population struggling financially. A lowered GDP forecast for 2024 and 2025 after Trump’s victory puts even more pressure on Germany.  

Such economic pressures may bolster support for Germany’s populist parties, the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) and the left-wing Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW). Both parties use nationalist, Eurosceptic, anti-immigration and pro-Russian rhetoric. After the collapse of the current government, the next elections, which will take place ahead of schedule in February, may produce similar outcomes to the elections in the US and Austria this autumn. A struggling population is more likely to be perceptive to populist rhetoric such as the promise to end the support for Ukraine, anti-immigration slogans or the creation of “us against them”.   

Lessons learned? 

Before electoral campaigns begin in earnest, Germany’s moderate parties need to take action to avoid a reflection of the American political outcome. In the upcoming election, citizens are likely to prioritize bread and butter issues. Inflation and higher costs of living incite doubt in the population, causing citizens to question where the government’s priorities lie: domestically or abroad. Those who have flown regularly are familiar with the emergency protocol: put on your own oxygen mask before helping others. From there, it is only a small step to wanting to put “Germany first”. This is most likely the reason why voters are questioning the EU and Germany’s support for Ukraine or why they are afraid of immigrants.  

However, the fearmongering of moderate politicians in the hope of making bordering racist and populist ideas their topic is not helping in the long run. Such election campaigns only drive more people into the arms of racist or populist parties. The independent US senator  Bernie Sanders warned a year before the Presidential election that it is crucial for the parties of the democratic middle to focus on what their core values are, to be authentic and to “see” the struggle of the ordinary people instead of trying to implement pieces of the agenda of populists. This applies to Germany now if politicians of the democratic middle want to do better than the American Democrats. Poll after poll revealed that inflation and rising living costs were among the most important topics for American voters. Yet the Democrats failed to address these concerns convincingly.  

The most important lesson for moderate German and European politicians is to take note of the financial hardships that inflation causes citizens and to take these problems seriously. German parties, limited by Germany’s legally binding debt brake, need to find a way to work around its limitations to relieve the population. This will be challenging because the debt brake is in the Basic Law of Germany and can only be changed with a two-thirds majority. Addressing this recognises the situation as an economic emergency. Using the instruments at their disposal to prevent price gouging – such as establishing strategic government petroleum reserves, which would be released in times of high petrol prices – Germany’s political parties can buffer the worst effects and the rising costs of living. Controlling inflation would, in turn, strengthen democracy.  

So far, none of this seems to be on the radar of Germany’s moderate political parties. There needs to be a credible promise that the economic policies of democratic parties will improve people’s living conditions. This is essential to stop a further rise of right-wing extremist parties such as the AfD. Otherwise, Germans will need to prepare for difficult times ahead.  

 

Hanna Obermüller – a student enrolled in the Master’s programme Peace and Security Studies at Hamburg University. She spent two months working as a trainee at the IDM.

Daniel Martínek for Luxemburger Wort on Slovakia’s Healthcare Crisis

“In der Slowakei eskaliert ein Ärztestreik”, an article for Luxemburger Wort with comments from Daniel Martínek IDM Research Associate.

Read the article here.

Péter Techet for RTVS Pátria Rádió about Angela Merkel’s autobiography

On the Hungarian-language program of Slovak Radio RTVS, Péter Techet talked about Angela Merkel’s recently published autobiography.

Listen the full interview here.

IDM Short Insights 41: Bulgaria and Romania join Schengen (finally!)

During the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting on 12 December 2024, it was confirmed that Bulgaria and Romania will become full Schengen members in January 2025. The two Black Sea countries have long pursued Schengen membership, with the European Commission deeming them ready since 2011—a stance repeatedly confirmed by experts. After the Netherlands withdrew its veto, Austria’s objection remained, citing illegal migration concerns.

However, domestic politics also played a role in Austria’s stance. As an intermediary step “Air Schengen” was established, enabling Bulgaria and Romania to lift controls at air- and sea ports, however, it affected fewer people and posed fewer issues like long waits, bureaucracy, or CO2 emissions. Prolonging this arrangement risked creating a two-tier EU, where some member states enjoy full rights despite meeting all criteria, setting a potentially dangerous precedent. This delay also fueled perceptions in Bulgaria and Romania of being treated as second-class EU citizens and diverted attention from more urgent matters in Brussels.

Nevertheless, this situation is now resolved and IDM Director Sebastian Schäffer together with IDM Research Associate Sophia Beiter are very happy that the activities of the institute have contributed a little bit to this positive development through.

Transcript: 

Now it is official.

Bulgaria and Romania will join the full Schengen area.

During the last Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting in December 2024, it was decided that Bulgaria and Romania will become full Schengen members in January 2025. The two Black Sea countries have long fought membership and the European Commission deemed them ready back in 2011. This was subsequently reaffirmed by experts. The Netherlands lifted their veto, however, Austria still had reservations on the ground of illegal migration. However, there are certainly also political reasons behind this decision.

In 2023, the implementation of air Schengen was agreed upon. This made it possible for Romania and Bulgaria to lift border controls in sea and air traffic from April 2024 on. However, border controls on land remained in place. The implementation of air Schengen was seen as a positive step in the right direction, but it was never a permanent solution.

First of all, border controls in air traffic affect far less people and are also far less problematic in terms of bureaucracy, waiting times and CO2 emissions. And secondly, a possible stagnation on the level of air Schengen would have created a two-tier EU, where some enjoy more rights than others even though they also fulfill all necessary requirements, setting a potentially dangerous precedent for the future. It would have also been a relatively easy win for European integration.

The next Schengen enlargement can only happen after an EU enlargement, and it took attention away from more important things that Brussels could focus on. Additionally, it fueled sentiments in the Bulgarian and Romanian societies, because they felt as second-class citizens.

Now that the veto is lifted, Austria declared that far less migrants have arrived at the Hungarian border.

Nevertheless, we could certainly say that there was probably no more political capital to gain, but a lot of economic capital to lose. With all obstacles cleared, Bulgaria and Romania are now set to become full Schengen members, marking a significant milestone in their European integration journey.

This accession is not only valuable for the European economy, businesses and consumers, it also shows a clear signal of inclusivity, solidarity and unity at the European level.

And we are very happy that we were able to contribute a little bit to these positive developments through our activities at the IDM.

Congratulations to Bulgaria and Romania!

Péter Techet for L’Express on Trump’s Hungarian Advisor

In the French weekly newspaper L’Express, Péter Techet was also asked about the role of Sebestyén Gorka, an American-Hungarian advisor to Donald Trump. Techet emphasized that while Gorka is ideologically clearly on the right, he is also anti-Russian and anti-Chinese. Techet therefore believes that Gorka’s role in the future Trump administration could be problematic for Viktor Orbán, especially since Gorka, during his time in Hungary, sharply criticized Orbán’s policies from a right-conservative perspective.

The article can be read here (behind a paywall).

Sebastian Schäffer for Haaretz on Romania’s Presidential Election


‘The Reasons for This Guy’s Rise Were Real’: The Story Behind Romania’s Annulled Election. An article for Haaretz with comments from IDM Director Sebastian Schäffer.

Read the full article here.

The article has also been translated into Romanian: available on Rador and Capital; and Hungarian.

Sebastian Schäffer at the Budapest Balkans Forum on Tour in Sofia

Copyright: Yasen Georgiev

On 9 December IDM Director Sebastian Schäffer discussed at the Embassy of Hungary in Sofia about “Enhancing Connectivity within the EU: the Schengen Area Enlargement” in the framework of the Budapest Balkans Forum on Tour program organised by the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs (HIIA). After Opening Remarks by H.E. Miklós Boros, Ambassador of Hungary in Sofia as well as Ákos Mernyei, Ambassador for Global Public Diplomacy Engagement, Adviser to the President
Hungarian Institute of International Affairs, the Keynote Speech was held by Elena Shekerletova, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria. In the following panel discussion moderated by Julianna Armas (HIIA) with Ambassador Bisserka Benisheva (Director for EU Affairs, PanEuropa Bulgaria), Mihai Sebe, (Head of Unit of the European Studies Unit, European Institute of Romania), as well as Csaba Stefán (Research Fellow, Hungarian Institute of International Affairs), Schäffer explained the Austrian veto against the Schengen accession, why he believes that it could have set a dangerous precedent and that it was a relatively low hanging fruit to allow Bulgaria and Romania to join the Schengen area given the challenges European integration is facing.