The COVID pandemic was a strange time for everyone. The world seemed to pause, giving us a moment to breathe and think. I decided to make the most of that time by going abroad for a semester with the Erasmus programme, landing in Jönköping, Sweden. Those five months were intense, a time of real change. I went in with arms open and came out with a deeper sense of who I was, a stronger confidence, and friendships across Europe that I could trust and count on to this day. Coming back home was harder than I expected. I felt adrift, weighed down by what many call post-Erasmus depression. I couldn’t find my place back in Budapest, felt like something was missing, like I was constantly searching for that feeling of purpose and connection I’d found abroad.
After a summer of trying to piece myself back together, I found a youth exchange project through Erasmus that was open for applications, so I applied, and when I got in, it felt like I’d hit bingo. It was exactly what I needed. It brought back that same energy from Sweden but in a shorter, easy-to-do experience with everything covered. That was just the start – I kept traveling and doing non-formal education projects thanks to Erasmus, and that’s what eventually led me to Finland for a youth exchange on leadership in a remote area. And that’s where Vincent Imperato and I met. Shortly after our story began, we became one of those "Erasmus couples" – two people who found each other and grew closer thanks to the programme.
From the beginning, we knew we owed a lot to Erasmus, so we wanted to give something back. Something that would show just how big of an impact Erasmus has had, not only on us but on an entire generation. That’s where The Erasmus Generation, our documentary project, was born.
The documentary grew out of many stories we’d read and heard from others who’d been on Erasmus. Time and time again, the same phrase started coming up:
"Erasmus changed my life."
Vincent and I realized it wasn’t just us; so many others felt the same way, that Erasmus had left a lasting mark on their lives. We wanted to explore why and how this was happening.
We realized that no one had captured the real emotional journey of an Erasmus participant, what it feels like to go through that first Erasmus experience. And that’s what we wanted to do. We wanted an honest portrayal of what happens to someone when they step into this world of Erasmus for the first time.
Soon, the European Commission invited us to Brussels, and we found ourselves interviewing Alan Smith in the mountains of Austria, one of the people who helped create the Erasmus programme. He summed up his message with a statement that stuck with us:
“Especially in these challenging times of war, it is crucial to promote peace among nations and people from different cultures. And who better than the Erasmus generation can do this?”
In the film, we also wanted to show that Erasmus isn’t just the classic university exchange people know about, yet most people don’t even know these other opportunities exist. To show what these experiences are like, we followed Roberto, a young participant going through his first Erasmus exchange. His story captures what many other participants feel but often find hard to put into words: the experience of transformation and growth that comes from stepping out of your comfort zone into a new world. Through Roberto, we tried to tell the story of everyone who takes that final step to go on Erasmus.
Our documentary premiered in November at the 25th Festival del Cinema Europeo in Lecce, followed by screenings at the Roma Independent Film Festival and The Hague Film Festival, where we won the Best Foreign Film award! As we continue our path through spring 2025, we’re excited to bring The Erasmus Generation to universities and high schools across Europe, sharing the amazing opportunities Erasmus offers with those who will benefit most from it.
You can follow our IG page, erasmusgeneration.movie, for the latest updates, bts moments, and screening dates! 😊
