The European Film Awards returned on 17 January 2026 with their 38th edition, this time held at the Haus der Kulturen der Welt in Berlin. Established in 1988 by the European Film Academy, the Awards were created to bring visibility to European cinema as a distinct cultural force — a space where artistic ambition, diverse languages, and regional perspectives are foregrounded in contrast to commercially driven platforms. This year’s ceremony, moved to January to align more closely with the international awards season, served as both a culmination of the “European Award Season” and a showcase of cinema that resonates beyond national boundaries.
The 2026 edition was dominated by Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value (Affeksjonsverdi), which swept the top categories and became the most awarded film of the night. Spanish director Oliver Laxe’s Sirât, one of the most nominated films, was also widely honored in the technical categories, underscoring the Academy’s recognition of both narrative and artisanal excellence across Europe.
Below is a selection of the main categories and winners from the 38th European Film Awards:
Major Awards
- Best European Film: Sentimental Value (dir. Joachim Trier)
- Best Director: Joachim Trier (Sentimental Value)
- Best Actor: Stellan Skarsgård (Sentimental Value)
- Best Actress: Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value)
- Best Screenwriter: Eskil Vogt & Joachim Trier (Sentimental Value)
- Best Original Score: Hania Rani (Sentimental Value)
Technical and Craft Awards
- Best Cinematography: Mauro Herce (Sirât)
- Best Production Design: Laia Ateca (Sirât)
- Best Editing: Cristóbal Fernández (Sirât)
- Best Sound Design: Laia Casanovas, Amanda Villavieja & Yasmina Praderas (Sirât)
- Best Casting: Nadia Acimi, Luís Bértolo & María Rodrigo (Sirât)
- Best Costume Design: Sabrina Krämer (Sound of Falling)
- Best Make-up & Hair: Torsten Witte (Bugonia)
Other Significant Winners
- Best Documentary: Fiume o Morte! (dir. Igor Bezinović)
- Best Animation: Arco (dir. Ugo Bienvenu)
- European Discovery – Prix FIPRESCI: On Falling (dir. Laura Carreira)
- Best European Short Film – Prix Vimeo: City of Poets (dir. Sara Rajaei)
Special and Honorary Recognitions
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Liv Ullmann
- European Achievement in World Cinema: Alice Rohrwacher
- Eurimages International Co-Production Award: Maren Ade, Jonas Dornbach & Janine Jackowski
- European Young Audience Award: Siblings (La vita da grandi) (dir. Greta Scarano)
The 2026 European Film Awards affirmed their role not merely as a ceremony but as a continental barometer of cinematic achievement: a space where the diversity of European filmmaking — from intimate character studies to formally ambitious works — is recognized and celebrated collectively. By gathering films that have circulated through the festival year and highlighting both artistic careers and technical crafts, the Awards continue to situate European cinema as a vital cultural conversation
For further information, visit the official website.
