Frequently Asked Questions - European Film Academy

How the films are selected – an explanatory video
How to enter the shortlist?

It all begins with eligibility: films must be intended for theatrical release and have premiered – at a major film festival or in cinemas – within the set timeframe. The films should also meet the criteria of the respective category. The director and main production country must be European, and there must be significant involvement from European professionals.
Who can submit?

Films can be proposed by European film institutions, festivals, trade magazines, Academy Patrons or members of the European Film Academy, but only the official rightsholders can submit their films for consideration.
What is the European Film Awards Shortlist?

The annual shortlist to be announced publicly in October contains feature-length animation, documentary and fiction films as well as short films. All the shortlisted titles and the eligible talent involved reflect the richness, diversity and creativity of contemporary European cinema and are recommended to all Academy members for a nomination at the European Film Awards.
Who is selecting fiction films?

A working group carefully selects 35 – 45 fiction films from all submissions. This working group consists of several Academy Board members, together with six film experts from across Europe. The selection committee changes partly every year and the names of the selection committee members are published after the nominations announcement in November.
Who is choosing documentary films?

Documentary experts appointed by the Academy Board decide on a pre-selection. From the pre-selection a committee of Academy members and documentary experts appointed by the Academy Board selects 15 documentary films for the Documentary Shortlist. The selection committees change every year and the names of the committee members are published after the nominations announcement in November.
Who is selecting animation films?

A committee, including an Academy Board member and animation experts – one of them from CARTOON, the European Association of Animation Film – selects 8 animation films. The committee is partly changing every year and the names of the committee members are published after the nominations announcement in November.
Who is deciding on the short films?

The European Film Academy collaborates with a network of 31 film festivals from all over Europe. Their respective juries each select one short film from their competitive programmes for the shortlist, based on which the festivals choose the final 5 nominees.
How are films nominated?

In most of the European Film Awards categories the Academy members have to decide on 5 nominations based on the European Film Awards Shortlist:
Based on the Fiction Shortlist, the Academy members are voting for the nominations for EUROPEAN FILM, EUROPEAN DIRECTOR, EUROPEAN ACTRESS, EUROPEAN ACTOR and EUROPEAN SCREENWRITER.
In the categories EUROPEAN DOCUMENTARY and EUROPEAN ANIMATION FILM the members are voting on films of the Documentary Shortlist and the Animation Shortlist.
Where applicable the respective chapter members are voting for three nominations in the eight Arts & Crafts categories.
The nominations of the award categories EUROPEAN DISCOVERY – Prix FIPRESCI and YOUNG AUDIENCE AWARD are determined by a jury or committee of experts.
Who elects the winners?

In most of the European Film Awards categories it is all registered members of the European Film Academy that vote for the winners. The winners will be announced at the annual European Film Awards ceremony in January.
The Academy Board decides upon the recipient of the Honorary Awards: EUROPEAN ACHIEVEMENT IN WORLD CINEMA and EUROPEAN LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT.
Eurimages selects the EURIMAGES INTERNATIONAL CO-PRODUCTION AWARD to acknowledge the decisive role of co-productions in fostering international exchange.
For the LUX European Audience Award the European Parliament organises free screenings of the nominated films in all European Union countries with subtitles in 24 EU languages, and afterwards it is the audience voting online for the winner.
The YOUNG AUDIENCE AWARD is voted for by young people from all over Europe.
What are the key dates?

• Announcement European Film Awards Shortlist: 14 October 2026

• Nominations announcement: 14 November 2026

• 39th European Film Awards: 16 January 2027 in Athens
Where can I get more details on regulations?

Stralauer Allee 2A 10245 Berlin, Germany

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