Kapital Europe portrays two migrant workers in Brussels, as they navigate a journey 

marked by uncertainty and singular moments of joy. Reginald, a Romanian 

construction worker, struggles in the city’s informal building sector and contemplates 

returning to Romania. Niki, a young Greek newly arrived to the city, takes up 

work as a bicycle courier. Their stories reveal the unyielding forces of the capitalist 

system at work. 

Director Ben De Raes merges documentary and fiction, capturing both the monotony 

and the repetition of physical labor, as well as the passion and dedication 

of the workers. With restrained cinematography and a naturalistic soundscape, 

Kapital Europe portrays the indispensable labor that keeps the city moving. Interwoven 

with their stories are real conversations with working-class Brussels residents, 

adding depth to the film’s perspective. 

Kapital Europe offers a critical look at the precarious nature of work in a globalized 

metropolis. Without romanticizing the experience, yet leaving room for humour 

and humanity, the film highlights the divide between the workers and the structures 

that shape their lives. Ultimately, it is a film about hope, disillusionment, and 

the undeniable significance of the people who power the city.