Comparing Film Policies in Europe (1945–1980): An Introduction

This chapter outlines a methodology for analysing European state film policy from the post-Second World War era to the 1980s. Drawing on the policy cycle (Lasswell, 1971), stakeholder analysis and the advocacy coalition framework (Van den Bulck & Donders, 2014), as well as backward mapping (Elmore, 1980), the chapter presents a model for examining the role and operation of state film policy. Five concepts—functional equivalence, asynchrony, fluidity, sustainability and interoperability—are put forward to compare European policy systems from the Cold War era. The chapter also explains the rationale behind the structure of the volume, in which contributions focused on specific national contexts are organised into four thematic sections addressing key issues such as protectionism, the film industry, capitalism and national cinema. Finally, the chapter highlights continuities between Cold War film policy and the current scenario, which is shaped by the interplay of national, supranational, and regional/local policies.