External action: at the heart of European diplomacy

We live in times of great change. Geopolitical crises occur at a dizzying pace in this accelerated transition from a bipolar world to a multipolar one. We are facing a war in Europe and another in the Middle East, as well as significant instability in the Sahel and other parts of the planet. The EU has displayed unique organizational capacity and resilience in the face of these formidable challenges. However, citizens know very little about the complexity of the European Commission’s diplomatic and defence actions. By following the daily agenda of the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, this documentary aims to provide an inside view of how diplomatic and security crises are managed and how major geopolitical projects are implemented, including the process of building a common defence space. The documentary will also serve as a way of understanding how the European External Action Service (EEAS) functions and the inner workings of EU policy, thereby offering a broader perspective on Europe’s role in this new international context.

The documentary is available on ARTE TV from 16 July in French, and on TVE as of 21 July in Spanish.

Albert Solé worked for many years as a TV scriptwriter and later as a reporter for TVE and TV3 before making the leap to directing documentaries in 2002. He currently produces and directs several audiovisual projects from the production company Minimal Films. His first film for cinema was Bucharest, Memory Lost, which won a Goya Award and a Gaudí Award, among others.

Other documentaries he has made include The Final Escape, El sueño del agua, Frozen Memories, Miró: The Inner Fire, The Last Tape from Bosnia, Return to Raqqa, and the more recent, The many lives of Jorge Semprún, as well as the docuseries En la cárcel, confidencial and Examination of Conscience for Netflix. His films are broadcast on TV channels all over the world, and he has received many international awards. He is also the creator and director of the Brain Film Festival, a film and science festival.

An audiovisual production company set up in Barcelona in 2008 by journalist and filmmaker Albert Solé. It specialises in documentary films and series, although it also produces fiction, advertising, transmedia and branded content, among other formats. Its projects deal with a wide range of subjects and perspectives, from historical and social issues to science, culture, adventure and music. Its productions are aimed at both cinemas and TV channels or new exhibition windows. It develops both investigative journalistic content for programmes such as Documentos TV and 30 minuts, among others, and auteur documentaries produced by national and international networks. Its productions have been recognised by some of the main film awards, such as the Goyas, Gaudís, Biznagas at the Málaga Festival, and a long list that totals more than 50 festivals worldwide. All these works have been presented on TV channels and at festivals throughout the world.