The Croatian film director, Dalibor Matanic, is among the renowned European directors who were selected to make short films for the new campaign by the European Commission, #EUandME.

The campaign aims to show young people all the ways in which the EU improves their lives, by focusing on mobility, sustainability, business skills, opportunities in the digital age, and human rights.

Five short films, covering these topics, were selected to be screened in all EU countries, reported the Vecernji List daily.

Matanic’s short film, titled Debut, is an emotional story of a young farmer who wants to become a football star. At the same time, he is dealing with internal conflicts over his sexual orientation. Croatia was the first country in which all five films were shown, in an outdoor cinema on Zagreb’s European Square last week.

“I chose the subject of human rights for my film, because I think it is exceptionally important to build a tolerant society and speak up more about the importance of respecting every individual’s rights and freedoms,” Matanic said.

“I want this film to encourage people to accept differences which make us unique as individuals, and enrich our communities. I think everyone should be free to live as they like and be who they are, as long as they do not encroach on the rights and freedoms of others. As citizens of the EU, these rights are guaranteed to us, and no one can take them away,” he said.

Along with Matanic’s, the four other films premiered in Zagreb as well.

Dealing with opportunities offered by Internet access, The Loner, by Polish director Tomasz Konecki, tells the story of a man living alone in the mountains who is looking for a way to follow his heart. German director Matthias Hoene covers the topic of mobility in his film, The Living Hostel, in which an elderly lady dreams of travelling Europe, and Party Animal, by Yorgos Zois from Greece, follows Alex, a young man who finds a way to dance in a job he dislikes.

The Finnish director, Zaida Bergroth, in her film Oona talks about sustainability and environment through a girl who, lost in a forest, finds an unlikely friend.

The #EUandME campaign is scheduled to last until the end of 2019, when filmmakers early in their career will have an opportunity to show their skills in the young directors’ competition. The contestants will choose one of the campaign topics to show how the EU contributes to improving lives of young people, and the winners will have a chance to film with famous, award-winning European directors.

Follow N1 via mobile apps for Android | iPhone/iPad | Windows| and social media on Twitter | Facebook.