European Film Awards 2026: A Night of Celebration and Activism

The European Film Awards (EFA) made a change this year, moving from December to January to better fit into the global awards season. While the winners won't affect the Oscars directly, they might still influence voters when they pick their favorites in March. Several films that won at the EFAs are also expected to be big players at the Oscars. These include “Bugonia, ” “Sentimental Value, ” and “It Was Just an Accident. ” Interestingly, “It Was Just an Accident” didn’t win any awards at the EFAs, despite being a co-production of Iran, France, and Luxembourg. “Sentimental Value” was the big winner of the night, taking home awards for best film, best director (Joachim Trier), best actors (Renate Reinsve and Stellan Skarsgård), and best screenplay (Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt). This film is likely to get a lot of attention at the Oscars as well. The European Film Academy is smaller than the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, but there is some overlap between the two groups. This could mean that the EFAs might give us some clues about what might happen at the Oscars.The ceremony was unique, with no traditional host. Instead, documentary filmmaker Mark Cousins worked with film composer Dascha Dauenhauer and stage director Robert Lehniger to create a show filled with flashbacks to classic European films. The night started with a powerful message from director Jafar Panahi, who used his platform to speak out against the oppression in Iran. He urged filmmakers and artists to use their voices to speak out against injustice. The night also saw Italian director Alice Rohrwacher receive a special prize for her contributions to world cinema. Norwegian actress Liv Ullmann, a longtime star of Ingmar Bergman’s films, was honored with a lifetime achievement award. She made a humorous remark about the Nobel Peace Prize, referencing a recent event where the prize was gifted to a U. S. president. Oliver Laxe’s “Sirāt” was another big winner, taking home five awards. This Spanish-language film is also Spain’s submission for the Oscars and is on the shortlist in several categories. It’s looking strong against other films released by Neon, including “Sentimental Value, ” “No Other Choice, ” “The Secret Agent, ” and “It Was Just an Accident. ” The full list of winners from the 2026 European Film Awards is impressive, with awards given in categories ranging from best film to best animated feature. The night was a celebration of European cinema, with a mix of established stars and new talent.