Europa (film)
Europa (1991) is a film directed by Lars von Trier. It is von Trier's third theatrical feature film and was the final film in his Europa trilogy (following The Element of Crime (1984) and Epidemic (1987).)
Europa was released as Zentropa in North America to avoid confusion with Europa Europa (1990). Co-written by von Trier and Niels Vørsel, it tells the story of a young, idealistic American who hopes to "show some kindness" to the German people soon after the end of World War II. In US-occupied Germany, he takes on work as a sleeping car conductor for the Zentropa railway network, falls in love with a femme fatale, and becomes embroiled in a pro-Nazi terrorist conspiracy.
The film features an international cast, including the French-American Jean-Marc Barr, Germans Barbara Sukowa and Udo Kier, expatriate American Eddie Constantine, and the Swedes Max von Sydow and Ernst-Hugo Järegård.