The European Film Awards have once again showcased a vibrant mix of cinema excellence, political courage, and emerging talent—by no means a typical awards ceremony. But here's where it gets controversial: this year's event was as much about artistry as it was about taking a stand on global issues.
This year's top honors went to Stellan Skarsgård and Renate Reinsve, who received the awards for Best Actor and Best Actress respectively, for their compelling performances as father and daughter in Joachim Trier’s critically acclaimed film, Sentimental Value. Interestingly, Skarsgård had just received a Golden Globe for Supporting Actor in the same role only the previous week. Both stars are considered serious contenders for the upcoming Oscars, highlighting just how much European cinema is making waves on the international stage.
In fact, Sentimental Value wasn't the only film to make a splash—this year's European Film Awards (EFAs) marked a shift by moving the ceremony from its usual December slot to mid-January. The goal? To better capitalize on increased international attention and buzz, especially as European films continue to contend strongly for global honors like the Oscars.
And it’s working. All of this year’s Best Film nominees from Europe are already in the race for Oscar nominations: Trier’s Sentimental Value, Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident (which also won the Palme d’Or at Cannes), Olivier Laxe’s post-apocalyptic (Sirāt), Mascha Schilinski’s multi-generational German period piece (Sound of Falling), and Kaouther Ben Hania’s intense Gaza-set drama (The Voice of Hind Rajab). This lineup underscores the exceptional storytelling coming out of Europe, often addressing pressing social and political themes.
The awards in directing featured a diverse lineup—including Panahi, Laxe, Trier, and Schilinski—competing against Yorgos Lanthimos, whose film Bugonia starring Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons added further intrigue to the competition.
Beyond the trophies, several films took home technical awards early in the ceremony. Sirāt claimed victories across production design, sound, editing, and the inaugural Best Casting award—showing that craftsmanship continues to hold vital importance in filmmaking. Meanwhile, Sound of Falling earned the European Costume Design accolade, and the documentary Fiume o Morte! by Igor Bezinović was recognized for its darkly humorous portrayal of a historical protofascist takeover in Croatian Rijeka.
In animation, Ugo Bienvenu’s Arco clinched the top prize for European Animation Feature Film, further demonstrating the strength of Europe’s animated storytelling scene. Additionally, Torsten Witte received the first-ever EFA award for hair and makeup for his work on Bugonia, indicating the growing importance of specialized crafts in filmmaking.
But this wasn’t your usual politically neutral awards event. From the very start, the ceremony was brimming with activism. Iranian director Jafar Panahi took the stage ahead of the event to deliver a heartfelt and courageous statement addressing the brutal crackdown in Iran, where thousands of protesters have been killed or detained—as many as 12,000 deaths according to reports. Panahi’s plea emphasized that silence in the face of such violence isn’t neutrality but participation in darkness, urging the global community—especially filmmakers and artists—to stand against repression and violence.
Adding to the emotional weight, Liv Ullmann, the legendary Norwegian actress and filmmaker, was honored with a lifetime achievement award. Known for her iconic roles in the 1970s, she used her moment on stage to make a pointed comment about the misuse of the Nobel Peace Prize, indirectly referencing the decision of some to give their medals away—for example, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado's controversial act of donating her Nobel medal to Donald Trump. Ullmann’s remarks sparked conversations about the integrity of prestigious awards.
Celebrated Italian director Alice Rohrwacher received the European Achievement in World Cinema Award. She dedicated her accolade to her sister, actress Alba Rohrwacher, and called on her fellow filmmakers and audiences to continue resisting destructive global trends such as war, resource exploitation, and environmental destruction—urging everyone to remain “obstinate and contrary” in defending a more just and sustainable world.
And this is the part most people miss: the European Film Awards are increasingly becoming a platform not just for honoring movies, but for taking a stand on pressing social issues. They challenge the notion that awards ceremonies must be politically neutral, proving that art and activism can—and perhaps should—intersect.
Below is a full list of this year’s winners, reflecting the rich diversity and passionate voices of European cinema:
EUROPEAN FILM
- Afternoons of Solitude
- Arco
- Dog of God
- Fiume o Morte!, directed by Igor Bezinović
- It Was Just an Accident, directed by Jafar Panahi
- Little Amelie, directed by Maïlys Vallade and Liane-Cho Han
- Olivia and the Invisible Earthquake, directed by Irene Iborra Rizo
- Riefenstahl, directed by Andres Veiel
- Sentimental Value, directed by Joachim Trier
- Sirāt, directed by Oliver Laxe
- Songs of Slow Burning Earth, directed by Olha Zhurba
- Sound of Falling, directed by Mascha Schilinski
- Tales From the Magic Garden, directed by David Súkup, Patrik Pašš, Leon Vidmar, and Jean-Claude Rozec
- The Voice of Hind Rajab, directed by Kaouther Ben Hania
- With Hasan in Gaza, directed by Kamal Aljafari
EUROPEAN DOCUMENTARY
- Afternoons of Solitude, directed by Albert Serra
- Fiume o Morte!, directed by Igor Bezinović (WINNER)
- Riefenstahl, directed by Andres Veiel
- Songs of Slow Burning Earth, directed by Olha Zhurba
- With Hasan in Gaza, directed by Kamal Aljafari
EUROPEAN ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
- Arco (WINNER)
- Dog of God
- Little Amelie
- Olivia and the Invisible Earthquake
- Tales From the Magic Garden
EUROPEAN DIRECTOR
- Yorgos Lanthimos for Bugonia
- Oliver Laxe for Sirāt
- Jafar Panahi for It Was Just an Accident
- Mascha Schilinski for Sound of Falling
- Joachim Trier for Sentimental Value
EUROPEAN ACTRESS
- Leonie Benesch for Late Shift
- Valeria Bruni Tedeschi for Duse
- Léa Drucker for Case 137
- Vicky Krieps for Love Me Tender
- Renate Reinsve for Sentimental Value (WINNER)
EUROPEAN ACTOR
- Sergi López for Sirāt
- Mads Mikkelsen for The Last Viking
- Toni Servillo for La Grazia
- Stellan Skarsgård for Sentimental Value (WINNER)
- Idan Weiss for Franz
EUROPEAN SCREENWRITER
- Santiago Fillol and Oliver Laxe for Sirāt
- Jafar Panahi for It Was Just an Accident
- Mascha Schilinski and Louise Peter for Sound of Falling
- Paolo Sorrentino for La Grazia
- Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier for Sentimental Value (WINNER)
EUROPEAN DISCOVERY – PRIX FIPRESCI
- Little Trouble Girls, directed by Urška Djukić
- My Father’s Shadow, directed by Akinola Davies Jr
- On Falling, directed by Laura Carreira (WINNER)
- One of Those Days When Hemme Dies, directed by Murat Fıratoğlu
- Sauna, directed by Mathias Broe
- Under the Grey Sky, directed by Mara Tamkovich
EUROPEAN YOUNG AUDIENCE AWARD
- Arco
- I Accidentally Wrote a Book
- Siblings (WINNER)
EUROPEAN CINEMATOGRAPHER
- Mauro Herce for Sirāt
- Fabian Gamper for Sound of Falling
- Manu Dacosse for The Stranger
EUROPEAN EDITOR
- Yorgos Mavropsaridis for Bugonia
- Toni Froschhammer for Die My Love
- Cristóbal Fernández for Sirāt (WINNER)
EUROPEAN PRODUCTION DESIGNER
- James Price for Bugonia
- Jørgen Stangebye Larsen for Sentimental Value
- Laia Ateca for Sirāt (WINNER)
EUROPEAN COSTUME DESIGNER
- Ursula Patzak for Duse
- Michaela Horáčková Hořejší for Franz
- Sabrina Krämer for Sound of Falling (WINNER)
EUROPEAN CASTING DIRECTOR
- Yngvill Kolset Haga and Avy Kaufman for Sentimental Value
- Nadia Acimi, Luís Bértolo, and María Rodrigo for Sirāt (WINNER)
- Karimah El-Giamal and Jacqueline Rietz for Sound of Falling
EUROPEAN MAKE-UP & HAIR ARTIST
- Torsten Witte for Bugonia (WINNER)
- Gabriela Poláková for Franz
- Irina Schwarz and Anne-Marie Walther for Sound of Falling
EUROPEAN SOUND DESIGNER
- Johnnie Burn for Bugonia
- Laia Casanovas, Amanda Villavieja, and Yasmina Praderas for Sirāt (WINNER)
- Gwennolé Le Borgne, Marion Papinot, Lars Ginzel, Elias Boughedir, and Amal Attia for The Voice of Hind Rajab
LUX AUDIENCE AWARD
- Christy
- Deaf
- It Was Just an Accident
- Love Me Tender
- Sentimental Value
EUROPEAN SHORT FILM – PRIX VIMEO
- Being John Smith
- City of Poets (WINNER)
- L’Avance
- Man Number 4
- The Flowers Stand Silently, Witnessing
In summary, the European Film Awards continue to serve as a vital platform not only for recognizing cinematic excellence across genres but also for addressing some of the most urgent social and political issues of our time. From outspoken statements on political repression in Iran to celebrating the creative crafts that bring stories to life, this event has moved far beyond mere celebration—it's now a call to action. Do you agree that awards ceremonies should be politicized, or should art remain detached from current affairs? Share your thoughts below.
