How do you go about finding common ground between half a billion people, 28 countries and nearly four and a half million square kilometres? The EU’s nation states don’t just vary in size and traditions; we are all very different people living in very different countries. But there’s one primal thing that connects us all… and it took centre stage in a video that’s as powerful as they get.

Choose Your Future, a short film which was just unleashed on social media all over the continent, has become the emotional centrepiece of this year’s European elections awareness-raising campaign. But while that description might lead to some people instantly switching off, the three-minute film is intense, beautiful, fragile and effective AF.

The short film shifts the focus from the Europeans of today, instead looking at the Europeans of tomorrow

There are no politicians in suits or glass towers here… just real families, real scenes and real childbirths.

The film shows 15 future parents from all over the continent, welcoming newborn Europeans into this world, all heartwarmingly narrated by a young girl. The product of French director Frédéric Planchon, Choose Your Future is equal parts heartstring-puller and the perfect nudge to take part in the upcoming MEP elections.

And yes, the entire cast’s women were pregnant or had just recently given birth! All the birth scenes are 100% real, and only some of the scenes from before and after the birth were staged or recreated to complete the storyline.

The film was shot over a total of 12 days during February and March 2019, in hospitals across all over European countries; namely Hungary, Greece, Czechia and Denmark. Oh, and the young narrator? That awesome heartstring puller is actually an 11-year-old girl from Denmark.

“Each of us can leave a mark, but together we can make a real difference. Choose the Europe you want me to grow up in”

An unrivalled emotional moment in life, the birth of a child really does add that intense sense of responsibility for the future well-being of the new life… and that’s exactly what the European Parliament are using to drive the film’s ultimate point home.

Put quite simply, the aim of the film is to make us all reflect on why we vote

“The more people vote, the stronger and more legitimate a democracy becomes,” the crew behind the video explained. “The goal is to make Europeans aware of shared values, emotions and responsibilities. To deal with global challenges, Europeans need to stand together and choose their – and their children’s and grand-children’s – future, by casting their vote in the upcoming elections.”

Malta joins the rest of the continent for the European Parliament elections today month, on the 25th of May. And while some may find it easy to lose sight of why it’s important to vote, we’re glad that videos like this exist to help remind us why it’s important to head to the polls.

Share this post if you agree with the short film’s powerful message

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David Grech Urpani

Lovin Malta's Head of Content, Dave has been in journalism for the better half of the last decade. Prefers Instagram, but has been known to doomscroll on TikTok. Loves chicken, women's clothes and Kanye West (most of the time).