European Film Awards Explained

European Film Awards
Current Awards:37th European Film Awards
Awarded For:Excellence in European cinematic achievements
Presenter:European Film Academy
Location:Europe
Year:1988
Year2:2023

The European Film Awards (or European Film Academy Awards) have been presented annually since 1988 by the European Film Academy to recognize excellence in European cinematic achievements. The awards are given in 19 categories, of which the most important is the Best Film. They are restricted to European cinema and European producers, directors and actors. The awards were officially also called the "Felix Awards" until 1997, in reference to the former award's trophy statuette, which was replaced by a feminine statuette.

Since 1997, the European Film Awards have been held in early- to mid-December. Hosting duties have alternated between Berlin, Germany in odd-numbered years and other European cities in even-numbered years. The 33rd European Film Awards were held on 12 December 2020 as a virtual ceremony. In reaction to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian films were excluded from the 2022 European Film Awards.[1]

Awarding procedures

Feature films participating in the European Film Awards must be European feature-length fiction films intended for normal theatrical release which must have had their first official screening (be it at a festival or at a regular cinema) after 1 July of the year before.Based on a selection of approximately 40 films recommended for a nomination, the members of the European Film Academy vote for the nominations in the main categories,[2] which are announced in early November at the Seville European Film Festival. Based on the nominations, the members of the European Film Academy then vote for the winners which are announced at the European Film Awards Ceremony in early December.

Controversies

The European Film Academy (EFA) Awards' Best Film winner, Melancholia became the third Lars von Trier film to win EFA's top award, following Breaking the Waves (1996) and Dancer in the Dark (2000) – this despite the fact that the filmmaker became embroiled in a nasty controversy after making jokes about Jews and Adolf Hitler at that year's Cannes Film Festival.[3]

Eligibility

The criteria[4] whereby a film qualifies as European are based upon the European Convention on Cinematographic Co-production, Appendix II, issued by the Council of Europe. This definition might be extended for Israeli and Palestinian works and nationalities. A cinematographic work qualifies as European if it achieves at least 16 points (out of 21).

The European Film Academy uses a lower minimum of 13 points.

European elementsWeighting Points
Creative group
Director4
Script writer 3
Composer 1
Performing group
First role 3
Second role 2
Third role 1
Technical craft group
Head of Department – cinematography1
Head of Department – sound1
Head of Department – picture editing1
Head of Department – production or costume design1
Studio or shooting location 1
VFX or CGI location 1
Post-production location 1

Host cities

YearDateVenueCityPresenterDirector
1st (1988)1 Dec. 1988Theater des Westens West BerlinJan Niklas, Désirée NosbuschRobin Bextor
2nd (1989)25 Nov. 1989Théâtre des Champs-Elysées ParisFernando Rey, Agnès Soral
3rd (1990)2 Dec. 1990Royal Concert Hall GlasgowSheena McDonald, Melvyn Bragg
4th (1991)1 Dec. 1991Babelsberg PotsdamDésirée Nosbusch-Becker, Johannes Willms
5th (1992)25 Nov. 1992Babelsberg PotsdamSenta Berger, Ben Kingsley
6th (1993)4 Dec. 1993Babelsberg PotsdamFanny Ardant
7th (1994)27 Nov. 1994Spiegelzelt Berlin-
8th (1995)12 Nov. 1995Bar jeder Vernunft Berlin-
9th (1996)8 Nov. 1996Blue Tent in Lützowplatz Berlin-
10th (1997)7 Dec. 1997Flughafen Tempelhof BerlinTania Bryer
11th (1998)4 Dec. 1998Old Vic Theatre LondonMel Smith, Carole Bouquet
12th (1999)4 Dec. 1999Schiller Theater BerlinMel Smith, Carole Bouquet
13th (2000)2 Dec. 2000Chaillot National Theatre ParisRupert Everett, Antoine de Caunes
14th (2001)1 Dec. 2001Tempodrom BerlinMel Smith
15th (2002)7 Dec. 2002Rome Opera House RomeAsia Argento, Mel Smith
16th (2003)6 Dec. 2003Treptow Arena BerlinHeino Ferch
17th (2004)11 Dec. 2004Forum Convention Center BarcelonaMaria de Medeiros, Juanjo PuigcorbéManuel Huerga
18th (2005)3 Dec. 2005Treptow Arena BerlinHeino FerchPepe Danquart
19th (2006)2 Dec. 2006EXPO XXI Center WarsawMaciej Stuhr, Sophie MarceauVolker Weicker
20th (2007)1 Dec. 2007Treptow Arena BerlinJan Josef Liefers, Emmanuelle BéartVolker Weicker
21st (2008)6 Dec. 2008Forum CopenhagenMikael BertelsenAndreas Morell
22nd (2009)12 Dec. 2009Hall of the Century BochumAnke EngelkeAndreas Morell
23rd (2010)4 Dec. 2010Nokia Concert Hall TallinnAnke Engelke, Märt AvandiAndreas Morell
24th (2011)3 Dec. 2011Tempodrom BerlinAnke EngelkeNadja Zonsarowa
25th (2012)1 Dec. 2012Mediterranean Conference Centre VallettaAnke EngelkeNadja Zonsarowa
26th (2013)7 Dec. 2013Haus der Berliner Festspiele BerlinAnke EngelkeNadja Zonsarowa
27th (2014)13 Dec. 2014Latvian National Opera RigaThomas Hermanns[5] Michael Maier
28th (2015)12 Dec. 2015Haus der Berliner Festspiele BerlinThomas HermannsNadja Zonsarowa
29th (2016)10 Dec. 2016National Forum of Music Wrocław[6] Maciej StuhrMaria von Heland, Nadja Zonsarowa
30th (2017)9 Dec. 2017Haus der Berliner Festspiele BerlinThomas HermannsMaria von Heland, Nadja Zonsarowa
31st (2018)15 Dec. 2018Teatro de la Maestranza[7] SevilleRossy de Palma, Ashraf Barhom, Amira Casar, Anamaria Marinca, Ivan Shvedoff, Tom Wlaschiha[8] Maria von Heland, Nadja Zonsarowa
32nd (2019)7 Dec. 2019Haus der Berliner Festspiele BerlinAnna Brüggemann, Aistė DiržiūtėDietrich Brüggemann, Nadja Zonsarowa
33rd (2020)12 Dec. 2020Online from Futurium BerlinSteven Gätjen
34th (2021)11 Dec. 2021Haus der Berliner Festspiele Berlin
35th (2022)10 Dec. 2022Harpa Conference and Concert Hall ReykjavíkUnnsteinn Manuel
36th (2023)Dec. 2023Arena Berlin BerlinBritta SteffenhagenRobert Lehniger
37th (2024)Dec. 2024TBD Luzern[9]
38th (2025) Jan. 2026 [10] Berlin

European Capital of Culture event

Up through the 2018 ceremony, 15 cities in 10 countries have hosted the contest. Berlin has been host 14 times, Potsdam 3 times, and Paris 2 times. Barcelona, Bochum, Copenhagen, Glasgow, London, Riga, Rome, Seville, Tallinn, Valletta, Warsaw, and Wroclaw, have each hosted once.

Award categories

Current categories

Audience awards

Special awards

Defunct awards

Proposed awards

Timeline

Editions:19
88		19
89		19
90		19
91		19
92		19
93		19
94		19
95		19
96		19
97		19
98		19
99		20
00		20
01		20
02		20
03		20
04		20
05		20
06		20
07		20
08		20
09		20
10		20
11		20
12		20
13		20
14		20
15		20
16		20
17		20
18		20
19		20
20		20
21		20
22		20
23
Film
Non-European Film
Comedy
Young Film/Discovery
Animated Feature
Documentary
Short Film
Fiction Series
Editions:19
88		19
89		19
90		19
91		19
92		19
93		19
94		19
95		19
96		19
97		19
98		19
99		20
00		20
01		20
02		20
03		20
04		20
05		20
06		20
07		20
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09		20
10		20
11		20
12		20
13		20
14		20
15		20
16		20
17		20
18		20
19		20
20		20
21		20
22		20
23
Director
Screenwriter
Actor
Actress
Supporting Actor
Supporting Actress
Supporting Performance
Young Actor or Actress
Composer
Cinematographer
Co-Producer
Editor
Production Designer
Costume Designer
Sound Designer
Makeup Hairstyling
Visual Effects
Innovative Storytelling
Editions:19
88		19
89		19
90		19
91		19
92		19
93		19
94		19
95		19
96		19
97		19
98		19
99		20
00		20
01		20
02		20
03		20
04		20
05		20
06		20
07		20
08		20
09		20
10		20
11		20
12		20
13		20
14		20
15		20
16		20
17		20
18		20
19		20
20		20
21		20
22		20
23
Lifetime Achievement
Achievement in World Cinema
Honorary Award
Critics's Choice
People's Choice - Director
People's Choice - Actor
People's Choice - Actress
People's Choice - Film
Young Audience Choice
University Award - Student's Choice
Editions:19
88		19
89		19
90		19
91		19
92		19
93		19
94		19
95		19
96		19
97		19
98		19
99		20
00		20
01		20
02		20
03		20
04		20
05		20
06		20
07		20
08		20
09		20
10		20
11		20
12		20
13		20
14		20
15		20
16		20
17		20
18		20
19		20
20		20
21		20
22		20
23

Category included in the cumulative category named Award of Excellence or Artistic Contribution Achievement

Category included in the Production Designer category

Critics choice transferred to European Discovery

People's Choice transferred to European Parliaments Lux Prize Audience Film Award

Films with multiple wins

8 wins
6 wins
5 wins
4 wins
3 wins

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Unequivocal Solidarity with Ukraine. 1 March 2022. European Film Academy.
  2. Web site: Feature Films. European Film Academy. 6 June 2011. 7 July 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120707145923/http://www.europeanfilmacademy.org/the-european-film-awards/awards-information/feature-films/. dead.
  3. Web site: EFA Best European Film Honors Another Scandal-Plagued Filmmaker.
  4. Web site: Regulations for the 32nd European Film Awards . 30 October 2019 . 30 October 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191030163059/https://www.europeanfilmacademy.org/fileadmin/user_upload/MAIN-dateien/pdf-downloads/EFARegulations2019.pdf . dead .
  5. Web site: European Film Awards. europeanfilmawards.eu.
  6. Web site: Press info. European Film Academy.
  7. Web site: GALA DE LOS PREMIOS DEL CINE EUROPEO 2018 . 10 July 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180710133239/https://www.teatrodelamaestranza.es/programacion/601_GALA_DE_LOS_PREMIOS_DEL_CINE_EUROPEO_2018.html . 10 July 2018 . dead .
  8. Web site: Seville is Getting Ready: The Line-Up for the 2018 EFAs. europeanfilmawards.eu.
  9. https://europeanfilmawards.eu/en_EN/awards-2024-lucerne The European Film Awards 2024 Go to Lucerne/Switzerland
  10. https://www.europeanfilmacademy.org/press/european-film-awards-change-dates-2026/ European Film Awards to change dates in 2026

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