A thrilling night at the 38th European Film Awards saw Joachim Trier emerge as the Best European Director for his film, 'Sentimental Value'. This triumph capped off an evening of accolades for the film, which also secured wins for Best Screenwriter, Best European Actor, Best European Actress, and Best Score.
But here's where it gets controversial... Trier's victory came amidst a backdrop of strong competition, including Oliver Laxe's critically acclaimed 'Sirāt', Mascha Schilinski's debut 'Sound of Falling', and Jafar Panahi's thought-provoking 'It Was Just An Accident'.
And this is the part most people miss... While Trier's film dominated the ceremony, it was Oliver Laxe's 'Sirāt' that swept the craft awards, showcasing the film's technical brilliance.
In other news, Ugo Bienvenu's animated masterpiece, 'Arco', continued its award-winning journey, claiming the title of Best European Animated Feature Film. The film, produced by Natalie Portman and her team, has already garnered recognition at the Annecy International Film Festival and is now on the Bafta long-list for Best Animated Film.
The ceremony also honored Iranian director Jafar Panahi, who opened the event with a powerful plea, urging the world to speak out against the violence unfolding in Iran. His speech, delivered amidst a brutal government crackdown on protests, highlighted the global implications of silence in the face of injustice.
Additionally, Norwegian acting legend Liv Ullmann and Italian director Alice Rohrwacher were presented with honorary awards, with Ullmann using her acceptance speech to reflect on the role of cinema in capturing human reality and expressing her concerns about recent political developments.
So, what do you think? Was Joachim Trier's win well-deserved, or did other films deserve the spotlight? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
2026 European Film Awards Winners:
- Best European Director: Joachim Trier ('Sentimental Value')
- Best European Actor: Stellan Skarsgård ('Sentimental Value')
- Best European Actress: Renate Reinsve ('Sentimental Value')
- Best European Animated Feature Film: 'Arco' (France)
- Best European Documentary: 'Fiume o Morte!' (Croatia, Slovenia, Italy)
- European Cinematographer: Mauro Herce ('Sirāt')
- Best European Screenwriter: Eskil Vogt, Joachim Trier ('Sentimental Value')
- Best European Editor: Cristóbal Fernández ('Sirāt')
- European Composer (Original Score): Hania Rani ('Sentimental Value')
- European Casting Director: Nadia Acimi, Luís Bértolo & María Rodrigo ('Sirāt')
- Best European Make-up & Hair Artist: Torsten Witte ('Bugonia')
- European Sound Designer: Laia Casanovas ('Sirāt')
- European Production Designer: Laia Ateca ('Sirāt')
- European Costume Designer: Sabrina Krämer ('Sound Of Falling')
- European Discovery – Prix FIPRESCI: 'On Falling' (United Kingdom, Portugal)
- European Young Audience Award: 'Siblings' (Italy)
- European Short Film – Prix Vimeo: 'City of Poets' (Director: John Smith)
