• Director(s):

    VITKINE (ANTOINE)

  • Producer(s):

    ARTE FRANCE

  • Territories:

    Worldwide (except Sweden, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, Middle East, Latvia and France).

  • Production year:

    2014

  • Language(s):

    German, English, French

  • Rights:

    TV, DVD, NON-THEATRICAL, INTERNET, VOD

Surfing on rising discontent in the face of economic recession or crisis, populist movements have multiplied electoral victories. How can the growing success of these organizations be explained? An investigation into the workings of blooming forms of extremism.

They pretend to speak in the name of “the people,” cleverly embracing widespread expectations. To each issue, they invariably offer the same answers : Down with immigration, the European Union, and the elites. 
Whether it is Marine Le Pen in France, Geert Wilders in the Netherlands, Viktor Orbán in Hungary, Beppe Grillo in Italy, the leaders of these political movements have managed to capture the allegiance of increasing numbers of citizens, relying on punchy catchphrases and simplistic rhetoric that have helped them build respectable façades.
Some of them have joined forces on the European scale to conquer the EU Parliament. Are they really on their way to power?

Antoine Vitkine carried out a wide investigation throughout the Old Continent, filming at close range the main protagonists of the populist galaxy, from voters to populist leaders. He  analysed the speeches and methods of populist organizations while gauging the various forms of anger, fear and frustration on which they thrive. A trenchant documentary exploring the workings of those new forms of extremism which pose a threat to Europe.