While European films often subvert expectations, they still utilize beloved romantic tropes, frequently with a local or historical twist: 62 Romance Tropes Everyone Loves. Genres & Tropes Series

: Many iconic European directors, such as François Truffaut , Ingmar Bergman , and Éric Rohmer , use their films to question traditional institutions like marriage and the concept of the "couple".

: Films frequently explore the "unseen" parts of relationships, including the weight of the past, personal grief, and the struggle to maintain identity within a couple.

The hallmark of European romance is its focus on the "why" and "how" of love rather than just the destination. Several recurring themes define the genre: