38th European Film Awards - In Progress

Yesterday, November 18, the European Film Academy revealed nine categories for the 2026 European Film Awards and there was one previously announced to make a total of 10 announced categories. According to their press release next week the remaining nominations will be announced, so this post will be modify accordingly.

Unless is specified differently, the nominations are based on the votes of 5,400 members of the European Film Academy who have been watching the films included in the annual Academy Shortlist. Now Academy members will vote the winners which will be announced at the awards ceremony on January 17, 2026 at the Haus der Kulturen der Welt in Berlin, Germany.

Sentimental Value by Joachim Trier leads with five (5) categories, Sirāt by Oliver Laxe follow with four (4), and with three (3) each Sound of Falling by Mascha Schilinski and It Was Just An Accident by Jafar Pahani. As a matter of fact frontrunners are all 2025 Cannes top award winners and in order they are Grand Prix winner, Jury Prize, Jury Prize and Palme d'Or. Also, all these films have been submitted for #Oscar2026 International Feature Film category by Norway, Spain, Germany and France respectively.  

The Nominations

European Film
There are fifteen (15) films competing for the European Film award as the category considers five (5) feature films plus also vying for this category are the five (5) films nominated in each of the following categories, European Documentary and European Animated Feature Film.

Feature Film
Affeksjonsverdi (Sentimental Value), Joachim Trier, Norway, France, Denmark, Germany and Sweden
In die Sonne schauen (Sound of Falling), Mascha Schilinski, Germany
Sirāt, Oliver Laxe, Spain and France
The Voice of Hind Rajab, Kaouther Ben Hania, France and Tunisia
Un Simple Accident (It Was Just An Accident), Jafar Panahi, France, Iran and Luxembourg

Documentary Films
Fiume of Morte!, Igor Bezinović, Croatia, Slovenia and Italy
Пісні землі, що повільно горить Pisni zemli, shcho povilno horyt' (Songs of Slow Burning Earth, Olha Zhurba, Ukraine, France Denmark, and Sweden
Riefenstahl, Andres Veiel, Germany
Tardes de Soledad (Afternoons of Solitude), Albert Serra, Spain and France
With Hasan in Gaza, Kamal Aljafari, Germany

Animated Films
Amélie et la métaphysique des tubes (Little Amelie), Maïlys Vallade and Liane-Cho Han, France
Arco, Ugo Bienvenu, France
Dieva Suns (Dog of God), Raitis Ābele and Lauris Ābele, Latvia and USA
L'Olívia i el terratrèmol invisible (Olivia and the Invisible Earthquake), Irene Iborra Rizo, Spain, France, Belgium, Switzerland and Chile
Pohádky po babičce (Tales from the Magic Garden), David Súkup, Patrik Pašš, Leon Vidmar and Jean-Claude Rozec, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, and France

European Documentary
Fiume of Morte!, Igor Bezinović, Croatia, Slovenia and Italy
Пісні землі, що повільно горить Pisni zemli, shcho povilno horyt' (Songs of Slow Burning Earth, Olha Zhurba, Ukraine, France Denmark, and Sweden
Riefenstahl, Andres Veiel, Germany
Tardes de Soledad (Afternoons of Solitude), Albert Serra, Spain and France
With Hasan in Gaza, Kamal Aljafari, Germany

European Animated Feature Film
This award is presented in co-operation with CARTOON, the European Association of Animation film
Amélie et la métaphysique des tubes (Little Amelie), Maïlys Vallade and Liane-Cho Han, France
Arco, Ugo Bienvenu, France
Dieva Suns (Dog of God), Raitis Ābele and Lauris Ābele, Latvia and USA
L'Olívia i el terratrèmol invisible (Olivia and the Invisible Earthquake), Irene Iborra Rizo, Spain, France, Belgium, Switzerland and Chile
Pohádky po babičce (Tales from the Magic Garden), David Súkup, Patrik Pašš, Leon Vidmar and Jean-Claude Rozec, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, and France

European Director
Joachim Trier for Affeksjonsverdi (Sentimental Value), Joachim Trier, Norway, France, Denmark, Germany and Sweden
Yorgos Lanthimos for Bugonia, Yorgos Lanthimos, Ireland, UK, USA and South Korea
Mascha Schilinski for In die Sonne schauen (Sound of Falling), Mascha Schilinski, Germany
Oliver Laxe for Sirāt, Oliver Laxe, Spain and France
Jafar Panahi for Un Simple Accident (It Was Just An Accident), Jafar Panahi, France, Iran and Luxembourg

European Discovery - Prix FIPRESCI
This award is presented in co-operation with FIPRESCI to a director for the first full-length fiction film. A committee composed of FIPRESCI members and experts appointed by the European Film Academy Board decides upon the six nominated films.
Hemme'nin Öldüğü Günlerden Biri (One of Those Days When Hemme Dies), Murat Fıratoğlu, Turkey and Germany
Kaj ti je deklica (Little Trouble Girls), Urška Djukić, Slovenia, Italy, Croatia, and Servia
My Father's Shadow, Akinola Davies Jr, UK and Nigeria
On Falling, Laura Carreira, UK and Portugal
Pod Szarym Niebem (Under the Grey Sky), Mara Tamkovich, Poland
Sauna, Mathias Broe, Denmark

European Young Audience Award
Arco, Ugo Bienvenu, France (animation)
La Vita da Grandi (Siblings), Greta Scarano, Italy
Véletlenül írtam egy könyvet (I Accidentally Wrote a Book), Nóra Lakos, Hungary and Netherlands

European Screenwriter
Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier for Affeksjonsverdi (Sentimental Value), Joachim Trier, Norway, France, Denmark, Germany and Sweden
Mascha Schilinski and Louise Peter for In die Sonne schauen (Sound of Falling), Mascha Schilinski, Germany
Paolo Sorrentino for La Grazia, Paolo Sorrentino, Italy
Santiago Fillol and Oliver Laxe for Sirāt, Oliver Laxe, Spain and France
Jafar Panahi for Un Simple Accident (It Was Just An Accident), Jafar Panahi, France, Iran and Luxembourg

European Actress
Renate Reinsve in Affeksjonsverdi (Sentimental Value), Joachim Trier, Norway, France, Denmark, Germany and Sweden
Léa Drucker in Dossier 137 (Case 137), Dominik Moll, France
Valeria Bruni Tedeschi in Duse, Pietro Marcello, Italy and France
Leonie Benesch in Heldin (Late Shift), Switzerland and Germany
Vicky Krieps in Love Me Tender, Anna Cazenave Cambet, France and Luxembourg


European Actor
Stellan Skarsgård in Affeksjonsverdi (Sentimental Value), Joachim Trier, Norway, France, Denmark, Germany and Sweden
Mads Mikkelsen in Den sidste viking (The Last Viking), Anders Thomas Jensen, Denmark and Sweden
Idan Weiss in Franz, Agnieszka Holland, Czech Republic, Germany, Poland and France
Toni Servillo in La Grazia, Paolo Sorrentino, Italy
Sergi López in Sirāt, Oliver Laxe, Spain and France

European Short Film
Being John Smith, John Smith, UK 27' (documentary)
City of Poets, Sara Rajaei, Netherlands 21' (documentary)
L'avance, Djiby Kebe, France 18'
Man Number 4, Miranda Pennell, UK 10' (documentary)
The Flowers Stand Silently, Witnessing, Theo Panagopoulos, UK 17' (documentary)