The European Film Awards (or European Film Academy Awards) have been presented annually since 1988 by the

European Film Academy The European Film Academy is an initiative of a group of European filmmakers who came together in Berlin on the occasion of the first presentation of the European Film Awards in November 1988. The Academy—under the name of European Cinema Soci ...

to recognize excellence in European

cinema Cinema may refer to: Film * Cinematography, the art of motion-picture photography * Film or movie, a series of still images that create the illusion of a moving image ** Film industry, the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking ...

tic achievements. The awards are given in 19 categories, of which the most important is the ''Best Film''. They are restricted to

European cinema Cinema of Europe refers to the film industries and films produced in the continent of Europe. Europeans were the pioneers of the motion picture industry, with several innovative engineers and artists making an impact especially at the end of th ...

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 Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

in odd-numbered years and other

European cities This list ranks metropolitan areas in Europe by their population according to three different sources; it includes metropolitan areas that have a population of over 1 million. Sources List includes metropolitan areas according only studies of ...

in even-numbered years. The most recent European Film Awards were held on 12 December 2020 as a virtual ceremony. In reaction to the

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. An ...

, Russian films were excluded from the 2022 European Film Awards.

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

vote for the nominations in the main categories, which are announced in early November at the

Seville European Film Festival The Seville European Film Festival (SEFF; es, Festival de Cine Europeo de Sevilla, links=no) is an annual film festival dedicated to European cinema held in November in Seville, Spain, since 2004. The festival is an initiative of the Instituto d ...

. 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.

Eligibility

The criteria whereby a film qualifies as European are based upon the European Convention on Cinematographic Co-production, Appendix II, issued by the

Council of Europe The Council of Europe (CoE; french: Conseil de l'Europe, ) is an international organisation founded in the wake of World War II to uphold European Convention on Human Rights, human rights, democracy and the Law in Europe, rule of law in 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.

Host cities

: 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

Best Film This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...

* Best Comedy * European Discovery *

Best Animated Feature Film This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...

* Best Short Film * Best Documentary Film *

Best Director Best Director is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards. It may refer to: Film awards * AACTA Award for Best Direction * Academy Award for Best Director * BA ...

* Best Actor *

Best Actress Best Actress is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organisations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actresses in a film, television series, television film or play. The first Best Actress awar ...

* Best Composer * Best Editor * Best Screenwriter * Best Production Designer * Best Cinematographer * Best European Co-Production * Best Sound Designer *

Best Costume Designer Best or The Best may refer to: People * Best (surname), people with the surname Best * Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer Companies and organizations * Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain * Best Lock Corporation, ...

* Best Makeup and Hairstyling * Best Visual Effects

Audience awards

* Audience Award for Best Film * Young Audience Award * University Award (Student's Choice)

Special awards

Lifetime Achievement Lifetime achievement awards are awarded by various organizations, to recognize contributions over the whole of a career, rather than or in addition to single contributions. Such awards, and organizations presenting them, include: A * A.C. ...

* Achievement in World Cinema

Defunct awards

* Best Non-European Film * Best Young Film * Best Supporting Actor * Best Supporting Actress * Best Supporting Performance * Best Young Actor or Actress * People's Choice Award Best Actor * People's Choice Award Best Actress * People's Choice Award Best Director * Prix d'Excellence * Critics Award *

Award of Merit The Award of Merit, or AM, is a mark of quality awarded to plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). The award was instituted in 1888, and given on the recommendation of Plant Committees to plants deemed "of great merit for exhibitio ...

* Honorary Award * Special Jury Award * European Cinema Society Special Award *

Special Mention Special or specials may refer to: Policing * Specials, Ulster Special Constabulary, the Northern Ireland police force * Specials, Special Constable, an auxiliary, volunteer, or temporary; police worker or police officer Literature * ''Specia ...

Proposed awards

* Best Animated Short Subject * Best Live Action Short Subject * Best Documentary Short Subject * Best Music Video * Best Cast * Best Action or Adventure Film * Best Sound Editing * Best Sound Mixing * Best Screenwriter - Adapted * Best Screenwriter - Original * Best Costume Designer in Contemporary Film * Best Costume Designer in Historic Film * Best Costume Designer in Unreal World (Sci-Fi/Fantasy) Film * Best Production Designer in Contemporary Film * Best Production Designer in Historic Film * Best Production Designer in Unreal World (Sci-Fi/Fantasy) Film * Best Makeup and Hairstylist in Contemporary Film * Best Makeup and Hairstylist in Historic Film * Best Makeup and Hairstylist in Unreal World (Sci-Fi/Fantasy) Film * Best Choreographer * Best Original Song * Best Poster * Best Stunt Ensemble * Best Actor – Series * Best Actress – Series * Best African Film * Best Latin American Film * Best North American Film * Best Asian Film * Best Middle East and North Africa Film * Best Australia and Pacific Film

Timeline

: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 * ''

The Favourite ''The Favourite'' is a 2018 period black comedy film co-produced and directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, from a screenplay by Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara. Set in early 18th century Great Britain, the film's plot examines the relationship betw ...

'' (2019) ;6 wins * ''

Good Bye, Lenin! ''Good Bye Lenin!'' is a 2003 German tragicomedy film, directed by Wolfgang Becker. The cast includes Daniel Brühl, Katrin Sass, Chulpan Khamatova, and Maria Simon. The story follows a family in East Germany (GDR); the mother (Sass) is dedica ...

'' (2003) *''

The Ghost Writer ''The Ghost Writer'' is a 1979 novel by the American author Philip Roth. It is the first of Roth's novels narrated by Nathan Zuckerman, one of the author's putative fictional alter egos, and constitutes the first book in his ''Zuckerman Bound'' ...

'' (2010) * '' The Square'' (2017) * ''

Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...

'' (2018+2019) ;5 wins * ''

Talk to Her ''Talk to Her'' ( es, Hable con ella) is a 2002 Spanish drama written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar, and starring Javier Cámara, Darío Grandinetti, Leonor Watling, Geraldine Chaplin, and Rosario Flores. The film follows two men who form an u ...

'' (2002) * '' Caché'' (2005) * ''

Volver ''Volver'' (, meaning "to go back") is a 2006 Spanish comedy-drama film written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar. The film features an ensemble cast that includes Penélope Cruz, Carmen Maura, Lola Dueñas, Blanca Portillo, Yohana Cobo, and Chu ...

'' (2006) * '' Gomorrah'' (2008) * ''

Ida Ida or IDA may refer to: Astronomy * Ida Facula, a mountain on Amalthea, a moon of Jupiter *243 Ida, an asteroid *International Docking Adapter, a docking adapter for the International Space Station Computing *Intel Dynamic Acceleration, a techn ...

'' (2014) * ''

Toni Erdmann Toni, Toñi or Tóni is a unisex given name. In Spanish, Italian, Croatian and Finnish, it is a masculine given name used as a short form of the names derived from Antonius like Antonio, Ante or Anttoni. In Danish, English, Finnish, Norwegia ...

'' (2016) ;4 wins * '' Open Doors'' (1990) * '' Toto the Hero'' (1991) * ''

Dancer in the Dark ''Dancer in the Dark'' is a 2000 musical drama film written and directed by Danish filmmaker Lars von Trier. It stars Icelandic musician Björk as a factory worker who suffers from a degenerative eye condition and is saving for an operation to p ...

'' (2000) * ''

Amélie ''Amélie'' (also known as ''Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain''; ; en, The Fabulous Destiny of Amélie Poulain, italic=yes) is a 2001 French-language romantic comedy film directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Written by Jeunet with Guillaume L ...

'' (2001) * '' Amour'' (2012) * ''

The Great Beauty ''The Great Beauty'' ( it, La grande bellezza ) is a 2013 art drama film co-written and directed by Paolo Sorrentino. Filming took place in Rome starting on 9 August 2012. It premiered at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival where it was screened in com ...

'' (2013) * '' Another Round'' (2020) * ''

Quo Vadis, Aida? ''Quo Vadis, Aida?'' ( '' Where are you going, Aida?'') is a 2020 Bosnian film written, produced and directed by Jasmila Žbanić. An international co-production of twelve production companies, the film was shown in the main competition section ...

'' (2021+2022) ;3 wins * '' Sunshine'' (1999) * '' High Hopes'' (1989) * ''

The Northerners ''The Northerners'' ( nl, De Noorderlingen) is a 1992 Dutch film by Alex van Warmerdam. The film was selected as the Dutch entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 65th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee. This black comedy t ...

'' (1992) * ''

Les Amants du Pont-Neuf ''Les Amants du Pont-Neuf'' () is a 1991 French film directed by Leos Carax, starring Juliette Binoche and Denis Lavant. The film follows a love story between two young vagrants: Alex, a would be circus performer addicted to alcohol and sedatives ...

'' (1992) * ''

Breaking the Waves ''Breaking the Waves'' is a 1996 psychological drama film directed and co-written by Danish filmmaker Lars von Trier and starring English stage actress Emily Watson as her feature film acting debut. Set in the Scottish Highlands in the early 197 ...

'' (1996) * ''

All About My Mother ''All About My Mother'' ( es, link=no, Todo sobre mi madre) is a 1999 comedy-drama film written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar, and starring Cecilia Roth, Marisa Paredes, Candela Peña, Antonia San Juan, Penélope Cruz and Rosa Maria Sardà. ...

'' (1999) * ''

Sophie Scholl – The Final Days ''Sophie Scholl – The Final Days'' (german: Sophie Scholl – Die letzten Tage) is a 2005 German historical drama film directed by Marc Rothemund and written by Fred Breinersdorfer. It is about the last days in the life of Sophie Scholl, a 21-y ...

'' (2005) * ''

The Lives of Others ''The Lives of Others'' (german: link=no, Das Leben der Anderen, ) is a 2006 German drama film written and directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck marking his feature film directorial debut. The plot is about the monitoring of East Berl ...

'' (2006) * ''

The White Ribbon ''The White Ribbon'' (german: Das weiße Band) is a 2009 German-language drama film, written and directed by Michael Haneke. Released in black-and-white, the film offers a dark depiction of society and family in a northern German village just be ...

'' (2009) * ''

The King's Speech ''The King's Speech'' is a 2010 British historical drama film directed by Tom Hooper and written by David Seidler. Colin Firth plays the future King George VI who, to cope with a stammer, sees Lionel Logue, an Australian speech and language ...

'' (2011) * ''

Melancholia Melancholia or melancholy (from el, µέλαινα χολή ',Burton, Bk. I, p. 147 meaning black bile) is a concept found throughout ancient, medieval and premodern medicine in Europe that describes a condition characterized by markedly dep ...

'' (2011) * ''

Youth Youth is the time of life when one is young. The word, youth, can also mean the time between childhood and adulthood ( maturity), but it can also refer to one's peak, in terms of health or the period of life known as being a young adult. You ...

'' (2015) * ''

Land of Mine ''Land of Mine'' ( da, Under sandet, lit=Under the Sand) is a 2015 historical war drama film directed by Martin Zandvliet. It was shown in the Platform section of the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival. It was selected and nominated for ...

'' (2016) * '' Dogman'' (2018) * '' Flee'' (2021)

References

External links

* *
Voting website for the ''People's Choice Award''
{{Authority control European film awards Lists of films by award Awards established in 1988