ABSTRACT
This chapter examines how film and television influence what young viewers in Europe know and think about the United Kingdom and their engagement with the country, in conjunction with how they talk about UK screen content. It does so by exploring their knowledge of Britain and where that knowledge originates from. Screen encounters, it is argued, play a crucial role in the mix of encounters generating ideas about Britain and attitudes towards it by (1) building knowledge, (2) raising interest in the country and (3) inspiring viewers to visit or study there. The wider impact of British film and television is of interest because governments around the world, including the United Kingdom, increasingly view popular entertainment as an effective tool of public diplomacy and soft power. Additionally, there may be a self-reinforcing dynamic, whereby positive attitudes towards the country resulting from screen encounters in turn make British films and TV more appealing, creating a virtuous circle.
