What helps societies stay connected when pressure rises?

When tension becomes part of daily life, ordinary spaces change. Classrooms, media and cultural venues begin to carry political weight. The film Mr. Nobody Against Putin follows a teacher navigating this reality, where education and public life are drawn into the machinery of power.

This human story opens a wider question: how do people stay connected, confident and able to shape their future when the world feels unstable?

At NewFrames’ Films & Politics #10, Isabelle Schwarz, Head of Public Policy of the European Cultural Foundation, joins a discussion linking geopolitical change with lived experience. The focus moves beyond defence and institutions to the social fabric that holds communities together.

Findings from the European Sentiment Compass show that pressure today is also symbolic. Narratives about identity, dignity and direction influence how people see themselves and one another. Meaning matters alongside policy.

Across Europe and Ukraine, this plays out in everyday practice. Work supported through initiatives such as Culture Helps Solidarity shows cultural professionals creating spaces for creativity, mental wellbeing and community connection during and after crisis. These are places where trust grows, experiences are shared, and belonging takes root.

The Films & Politics conversation brings strategy back to lived reality, showing how the cultural and social foundations of shared life shape how societies navigate change and move forward.