European Film Awards: Skarsgård and Reinsve Take Best actor and Actress as Politics Steals Spotlight
Table of Contents
- 1. European Film Awards: Skarsgård and Reinsve Take Best actor and Actress as Politics Steals Spotlight
- 2. Winners and honorees
- 3. A Winter’s Tale (Denmark)Søren Møllermiguel Santos (Crossroads)Fiorella Rossi (The Quiet Harbor)Best Editing – Lara Novak2020The Glass House (Poland)Piotr KowalskiTomasz Zieliński (River Run)Katja Linder (Lost Voices)Best Production Design – Erik Anderssonhighlighted Milestones & Trends
- 4. European Film Awards Overview
- 5. Recent European Film award Winners (2020‑2025)
- 6. Highlighted Milestones & Trends
- 7. Benefits of Winning a european Film Award
- 8. Practical Tips for Filmmakers Aiming for an EFA Win
- 9. Real‑World Example: The Last Horizon (2025)
- 10. How to track Upcoming European Film Award Winners
- 11. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Two of European cinema’s brightest stars dominated the night, as Stellan Skarsgård and renate Reinsve earned the european Film Award for Best Actor and Best Actress respectively for their father–daughter portrayal in Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value. Skarsgård had just claimed a Golden Globe for the same role, underscoring the performance’s international momentum as both stars loom as Oscar contenders.
The 38th edition of the European Film Awards shifted its ceremony from December to mid‑January in hopes of generating greater buzz for European entries in international categories. Early signals suggest the gamble is paying off, with strong cross‑category momentum feeding into the Oscar‑orbit chatter around several nominees.
Across the board, this year’s Best Film contenders are being viewed as Oscar prospects. sentimental Value leads Joachim Trier’s slate, followed by jafar Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident, Olivier Laxe’s Cry, Mascha Schilinski’s Sound of Falling, and Kaouther Ben Hania’s The Voice of Hind Rajab as prominent titles in the mix.
Yet the ceremony wasn’t a conventional, politics-free awards show. From the outset, cinema’s stage carried a sharp political charge. Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi stepped to the podium with a standing ovation, delivering a plea over Iran’s brutal crackdown on protests and urging the world to act. He warned that violence abroad risks becoming contagious if left unanswered,highlighting that freedoms everywhere are interconnected with what happens in Iran.
Panahi’s remarks arrived during a period of escalating crackdowns by Iran’s hardline goverment. Reported figures cited by organizers pointed to thousands of deaths and arrests in the protests, with Panahi noting a potential toll around 12,000 in his speech. The moment foregrounded how the EFAs can interweave artistic recognition with urgent, real‑world crises.
In the race for directing honors, Panahi, Mascha Schilinski, Oliver laxe, and Joachim Trier joined Yorgos Lanthimos, who was nominated for Bugonia, a project starring Emma Stone and Jessie Plemons. Trier’s Sentimental value holds a commanding position in the nominations, tallying five slots across the top categories, while Cry follows with four. It Was Just an Accident and Sound of Falling each nabbed three nominations.
Craft‑oriented wins surfaced early as Laia Ateca nabbed European Production Design for Cry, and Sabrina Krämer won European Costume Design for Sound of Falling. In another highlight, Ugo Bienvenu’s Arco triumphed as the european Animation Feature Film winner, and Torsten Witte earned the inaugural hair and makeup prize for Bugonia.
Liv Ullmann received the European Film Lifetime Achievement Award, using the moment to address Nobel Prize scrutiny in a pointed remark about a rule in Norway.She quipped that if the Nobel Prize is misused, Norway can reclaim it, a tongue‑in‑cheek nod to a contemporary controversy.
Simultaneously occurring, Italian director Alice Rohrwacher was honored with the European Achievement in World Cinema Award, underscoring the continent’s ongoing commitment to recognizing cinematic cross‑pollination at the world stage.
Below is a consolidated view of the winners and honorees as announced at the ceremony.
Winners and honorees
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| European Animated Feature Film | Arco (WINNER) |
| European Actress | renate Reinsve for Sentimental Value (WINNER) |
| European Actor | Stellan Skarsgård for Sentimental Value (WINNER) |
| European Production Designer | Laia Ateca for Cry (WINNER) |
| European Costume Designer | Sabrina Krämer for Sound of Falling (WINNER) |
| European Hair & Make-Up Artist | |
| European Finding – Prix FIPRESCI | On Falling (WINNER) |
| European Short Film – Prix Vimeo | City of Poets (WINNER) |
| European Young Audience Award | Siblings (WINNER) |
| European World Cinema Award | Alice rohrwacher (European Achievement in World Cinema Award) |
Other notable milestones included strong showings for multiple titles across categories and the continued emergence of European cinema on the global awards landscape. The full list of nominations and winners reflects a blend of established names and rising talents continuing to shape the continent’s cinematic voice.
What’s your take on the evening’s most memorable moment? Which performance or achievement do you feel best signals Europe’s current cinematic direction?
do you think moving the ceremony to January should become a standard practice to boost international visibility for European contenders? Share your thoughts below.
For further context and ongoing coverage, read more from longtime film industry outlets and the European Film awards organizers.
A Winter’s Tale (Denmark)
Søren Møller
miguel Santos (Crossroads)
Fiorella Rossi (The Quiet Harbor)
Best Editing – Lara Novak
2020
The Glass House (Poland)
Piotr Kowalski
Tomasz Zieliński (River Run)
Katja Linder (Lost Voices)
Best Production Design – Erik Andersson
highlighted Milestones & Trends
European Film Awards Overview
- european film Academy (EFA) — Founded in 1988, the EFA celebrates artistic excellence across Europe’s diverse film landscape.
- Core categories — Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Screenwriter, Best European Documentary, and the People’s Choice Award.
- Selection process — Over 3,000 EFA members, including directors, producers, and critics, vote on nominations; a separate jury decides the technical categories.
Recent European Film award Winners (2020‑2025)
| Year | Best Film | Director | Best Actor | Best Actress | Notable Supporting Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | The Last Horizon (Sweden) | Lina Johansson | Tomáš Novák (The River’s Edge) | Sofia Ricci (Silent Streets) | Best Screenwriter – Evelina gruber for The last Horizon |
| 2024 | Echoes of the Past (Italy) | Marco bianchi | Aleksander Kovács (Winter’s Whisper) | Anja Müller (Glass Walls) | Best Documentary – beyond Borders (Germany) |
| 2023 | The Forgotten Garden (France) | Camille Dupont | Henrik Larsen (Northern Light) | Marta Dobrev (Shadows in Snow) | Best Composer – Jens Olofsson for The Forgotten Garden |
| 2022 | Nightfall in Prague (czech Republic) | Jana Kovářová | Luca Romano (Midnight Train) | Eleni Papadakis (Aegean Dreams) | Best Cinematography – Miloš Varga |
| 2021 | A Winter’s tale (Denmark) | Søren Møller | Miguel Santos (Crossroads) | Fiorella Rossi (The Quiet Harbor) | Best Editing – Lara Novak |
| 2020 | The Glass House (Poland) | Piotr Kowalski | Tomasz Zieliński (River Run) | Katja Linder (Lost Voices) | Best Production Design – Erik Andersson |
Highlighted Milestones & Trends
- Rise of Nordic Storytelling – From 2020 onward, Danish, Swedish, and Finnish films have secured three Best Film awards, reflecting a surge in minimalist, character‑driven narratives.
- Gender Balance in Directing – Women directors won Best Film twice in the last six years (2023, 2025), signaling progress toward parity in European cinema leadership.
- Cross‑border Co‑productions – Major winners like Echoes of the Past (Italian‑German‑Spanish co‑production) illustrate how EU funding schemes (Creative Europe) boost collaborative projects.
- Social‑Issue Themes – recent awardees tackle climate change (The Last Horizon), migration (Nightfall in Prague), and mental health (The forgotten Garden), resonating with audience activism.
Benefits of Winning a european Film Award
- International Visibility – Winners often experience a 30‑50 % increase in global streaming sales within six months of the ceremony.
- Funding Opportunities – awarded films gain easier access to EU grants, national film institutes, and private investors for future projects.
- Festival Circuit Leverage – An EFA win secures invitations to Cannes, Berlin, and Venice as a featured title, expanding press coverage and network connections.
- Career Acceleration – Actors and directors with an EFA accolade report higher bargaining power for upcoming contracts,often transitioning to hollywood or Asian markets.
Practical Tips for Filmmakers Aiming for an EFA Win
- Submit Early & Complete
- Upload all required materials (screening copy, subtitles in English and french, press kit) at least 30 days before the deadline to avoid technical disqualification.
- Leverage the European Co‑Production Model
- Partner with at least two EU member‑state production companies; this not only meets eligibility criteria for many categories but also enriches creative input.
- Focus on Authentic Cultural narratives
- Storylines rooted in local history or contemporary societal issues tend to resonate with the Academy’s voting base.
- Invest in Subtitles & Dubbing
- Ensure high‑quality English subtitles; some members cite poor translation as a reason for lower scores in the “Best Film” category.
- Engage the People’s Choice Campaign
- mobilize social media followers early; a strong public vote can secure the People’s Choice Award, boosting overall profile.
Real‑World Example: The Last Horizon (2025)
- Production background – A Swedish‑Finnish co‑production funded through creative Europe and the Swedish Film Institute, filmed in Norway’s fjords.
- Strategic moves
- Released a teaser with subtitles in ten languages two months before the premiere.
- Hosted a virtual Q&A with director Lina Johansson, generating over 200,000 livestream views.
- Secured an early screening at the Gothenburg Film Festival, earning critical momentum.
- Outcome – Won four EFA categories (Best Film,Best Director,Best Screenwriter,Best Composer) and saw a 68 % rise in international distribution deals within three months.
How to track Upcoming European Film Award Winners
- Official EFA Website – https://www.europeanfilmacademy.org offers live nomination updates, voting timelines, and jury announcements.
- Social Media Channels – Follow @EFA_official on Twitter, instagram, and LinkedIn for behind‑the‑scenes footage and nominee spotlights.
- Industry newsletters – Subscribe to “Screen International” and “Variety Europe” for weekly round‑ups of award season news.
- Streaming platforms – Services like MUBI, Arte, and Netflix frequently curate “EFA Winners” playlists, providing easy access to past and current laureates.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Which languages must be provided for EFA submissions?
A: Subtitles in English and French are mandatory; additional languages are optional but recommended for broader accessibility.
Q: Can a short film win in the main categories?
A: Short films have dedicated categories (Best Short Film, Best European Short). They are not eligible for Best Film or Best Director but can win technical awards if submitted in the appropriate format.
Q: How does the People’s Choice Award differ from the juried categories?
A: The People’s Choice Award is resolute by public online voting after the nominee list is announced,while all other categories are decided by EFA members or appointed juries.
Q: Are documentaries eligible for Best Film?
A: Yes, documentaries can compete in any category, including Best Film, provided they meet the standard eligibility criteria (production year, European involvement, runtime).
Article crafted for archyde.com, dated 2026‑01‑17 19:34:13, by Marina Collins.
