Euro is You is a European project designed to give a voice to marginalized young people by supporting them in the collective creation of short films. Through this artistic process, participants developed technical and creative skills, boosted their self-esteem, and reflected on key themes such as discrimination, inclusion, and climate change. Public screenings, held notably in two priority neighborhoods in Marseille and in Spetses, Greece, helped stimulate civic engagement and foster dialogue between young people and their communities around issues of social justice and mutual recognition. The transnational cooperation between France and Greece enriched the project through the exchange of practices and contributed to the skill development of the teams from Action Bomaye and Balkans Beyond Borders in supporting vulnerable groups. Euro is You also embraced an ecological dimension by co-developing a guide of best practices for environmentally responsible film festivals, available in three languages.
As on the ground organizations working daily with marginalized youth, we have identified an urgent need for spaces of expression and support that are tailored to the realities of NEETs, young migrants, and residents of disadvantaged neighborhoods (QPV). Many of them feel excluded or invisible. The lack of access to culture, creativity, and recognition hinders their personal growth and civic engagement. We therefore designed Euro is You as a direct response to these findings: a project created by and for grassroots communities, using short films as a tool for empowerment, skill development, and the valuing of life stories. Through intensive workshops, bootcamps, public screenings, and mentoring by professionals, the young participants were able to share their experiences, gain confidence, and get introduced to both technical and storytelling tools. At the same time, as film festival organizers, we identified another pressing need: reducing the environmental impact of film festivals. We integrated this concern into the project through the creation of a guide for eco-friendly festivals, developed from observed best practices.