The European Film Awards
The creation of the European Film Academy was the initiative of a group of Europeâs finest filmmakers brought together on the occasion of the first European Film Awardsâ ceremony held in November 1988. The European Film Academy was finally founded in 1989 as the European Cinema Society by its first president Ingmar Bergman and 40 filmmakers to advance the interests of the European film industry. Wim Wenders (1996-2020), Agnieszka Holland (2020-2024) and Juliette Binoche (2024-) followed in Bergmanâs footsteps as presidents of the Academy. The current chair of the Board is Mike Downey. Matthijs Wouter Knol was appointed CEO and director in 2021.
The European Film Academy seeks to support and connect its 5,400 members and celebrates and promotes their work. Its aims are to share knowledge and to educate audiences of all ages about European cinema. Positioning itself as a leading organisation and facilitating crucial debates within the industry, the Academy strives to unite everyone who loves European cinema. Central to its mission are the European Film Awards, the highlight of the European Award Season. The Academy also champions European film heritage and is expanding its focus on young audiences through the European Young Audience Award.
The European Film Awards is the main event of the European Film Academy â the Academy works all year round, and once per year the ceremony puts an extra spotlight on our work. Itâs similar to how BAFTA is an academy that is working year round, with the awards ceremony putting an extra highlight on nominated films and nominated talent.
The awards have a couple of aims and a couple of purposes. One of them is, of course, to get attention from the industry for our own community of members, but also attention from the press and the wider world. Secondly, it is to help make the world of European cinema more united. Very often we speak about French film, we speak about German cinema, we speak about the amazing new cinema from Spain or Norway and so on. The European Film Academy aims to bring filmmakers from across the continent together through the awards.
A lot of guests that attend the awards feel a strong connection to the idea of Europen cinema, they feel that sense of solidarity with other filmmakers from all over Europe, and I think thatâs something that we really stand for. Itâs about creating an awareness of European culture and emphasising that we all form part of that culture.
Matthijs Wouter Knol, CEO of the European Film Academy.
Watch the live stream
Watch the live stream of the 2026 European Film Awards below, or directly on the European Film Awards Website.