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The European Film Academy announces 21 further Feature Films to be added to the European Film Awards’ Selection

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More than 40 % of the selected films directed by women

After 19 feature films have already been chosen as part of the European Film Awards’ Feature Film Selection 2023, the European Film Academy announced 21 further films that have been added to the shortlist for the European Film Awards now comprising 40 strong European feature films. They have been selected by the European Film Academy Board – consulted by a diverse range of European invited experts. The nominations of the European Film Awards will be revealed on 7 November.

The European Film Awards honour the greatest achievements in European cinema. This year the awards ceremony, presented jointly by the European Film Academy and European Film Academy Productions, takes place on 9 December in Berlin.  

With 31 European countries represented – both EU and non-EU, the list of the selected films reflects the excellency of European filmmakers demonstrating the variety, diversity and creativity throughout Europe. This year’s feature film selection presents an increased number of female filmmakers with 18 female directors out of all 43 directors of the 40 selected films.

These are the additional titles in the Feature Film Selection:  

  • ANIMAL directed by Sofia Exarchou (Greece, Austria, Bulgaria, Romania, Cyprus) 
  • BLAGA’S LESSONS (УРОЦИТЕ НА БЛАГА / UROCITE NA BLAGA) directed by Stephan Komandarev (Bulgaria, Germany) 
  • CLUB ZERO directed by Jessica Hausner (Austria, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Denmark, Qatar) 
  • DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM THE END OF THE WORLD (NU AȘTEPTA PREA MULT DE LA SFÂRȘITUL LUMII) directed by Radu Jude (Romania, Luxembourg, France, Croatia) 
  • EXCURSION (EKSKURZIJA) directed by Una Gunjak (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, France, Norway, Qatar) 
  • EXPLANATION FOR EVERYTHING (MAGYARÁZAT MINDENRE) directed by Gábor Reisz (Hungary, Slovakia) 
  • GREEN BORDER (ZIELONA GRANICA) directed by Agnieszka Holland (Poland, France, Czech Republic, Belgium) 
  • HOLLY directed by Fien Troch (Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, France) 
  • HOUSEKEEPING FOR BEGINNERS (DOMAKINSTVO ZA POCETNICI) directed by Goran Stolevski (North Macedonia, Croatia, Serbia, Poland, Kosovo) 
  • ME CAPTAIN (IO CAPITANO) directed by Matteo Garrone (Italy, Belgium) 
  • PARADISE IS BURNING (PARADISET BRINNER) directed by Mika Gustafson (Sweden, Italy, Finland, Denmark) 
  • SOCIETY OF THE SNOW (LA SOCIEDAD DE LA NIEVE) directed by J. A. Bayona (Spain) 
  • STEPNE (СТЕПНЕ) directed by Maryna Vroda (Ukraine, Germany, Poland, Slovakia) 
  • SWEET DREAMS directed by Ena Sendijarević (The Netherlands, Sweden, Réunion, Indonesia) 
  • TATAMI directed by Guy Nattiv and Zar Amir Ebrahimi (Georgia, United States) 
  • THE POT-AU-FEU (LA PASSION DE DODIN BOUFFANT) directed by Tran Anh Hung (France) 
  • THE PROMISED LAND (BASTARDEN) directed by Nikolaj Arcel (Denmark, Germany, Sweden) 
  • THE UNIVERSAL THEORY (DIE THEORIE VON ALLEM) directed by Timm Kröger (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) 
  • THE VANISHING SOLDIER (החייל הנעלם) directed by Dani Rosenberg (Israel) 
  • THE ZONE OF INTEREST directed by Jonathan Glazer (United Kingdom, Poland, United States) 
  • WOMAN OF… (KOBIETA Z…) directed by Małgorzata Szumowska and Michał Englert (Poland, Sweden) 

Please find the list of our Feature Film Selection including the 21 newly added titles as well as further information on all films including synopsis, cast, credits and statements of directors (if available). 

With 31 European countries represented – both EU and non-EU, the list of the selected films reflects the excellency of European filmmakers demonstrating the variety, diversity and creativity throughout Europe. This year’s feature film selection presents with 18 female directors an increased number of female filmmakers. 

The 4,600 members of the European Film Academy watch the selected films and vote on the nominations. Based on their votes the nominations in the feature film categories ‘European Film’, ‘Director’, ‘Actor’, ‘Actress’ and ‘Screenwriter’ will be made public on 7 November 2023. The winners will be announced at the European Film Awards ceremony in Berlin on 9 December 2023.  

The selection is based on the Diversity & Inclusion Standards of the European Film Academy. 

The ceremony of the European Film Awards – the most renowned and prestigious award for European film – is presented by the European Film Academy and European Film Academy Production gGmbH. 

If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact us. 

Here you can find further information as well as printable stills for download. 

Since its successful pan-European launch in November 2022 Europe’s own film and award season, the Month of European Film has been growing continuously: Starting with 35 partners from 35 countries in 2022, the Month of European Film collaborated in 2024 with 108 partners from 42 countries. The number of screenings of European films within the initiative rocketed from 1,553 in 2022 to 9,310 in 2023 to 16,140 screenings in the 2024 edition. Admissions increased from 61,199 in 2022 to 164,206 in 2023 to almost half a million admissions (467,697) in the last year. The participating partners reported that their activities during the Month of European Film increased audience interest in European films and it also makes them want to programme more European films in the future. This is the result of an evaluation with the participating partners of this unique initiative.

“The European Film Academy senses growing interest in Europe for an ‘award season’ celebrating the best European cinema has to offer,” says Mattthijs Wouter Knol, Academy CEO and Director. “With the Month of European Film we build a network and a window for the simultaneous celebration of European cinema and to bring the diversity of European film closer to home for many people: first of all to their local cinema. Only three years into the initiative we are proud and happy that the Month of European Film is becoming more and more visible across Europe and is attracting a significantly growing number of visitors from Norway to Malta, from Portugal to Georgia. In the upcoming years until the European Film Academy’s 40th anniversary in 2028, we will further build a European ‘award season’ with our partners. It is time to deepen the awareness of European film culture. It is time to bring us as Europeans closer together through the culture and values we share: cinema has that power.”

Feedback from the audience regarding the Month of European Film was also very positive: The partners reported that in an audience survey cinema visitors from across Europe saw the Month of European Film as an important celebration of European culture. They said the Month of European Film has raised their interest in European films significantly and that they would like to see more European films. It also made them feel more united with fellow Europeans.

This year, the Month of European Film will start with the nominations announcement on Tuesday 18 November 2025, with cinemas all over Europe offering a tailor-made programme for their local audience. The Month of European Film will have its grand finale on Saturday 17 January 2026 with the celebration of the European Film Awards in Berlin.

The Month of European Film is an initiative of the European Film Academy supported by the Creative Europe MEDIA Programme of the European Union, in co-operation with Europa Cinemas, CICAE, MUBI, DAFilms, Festival Scope, as well as numerous other European and local partners.

European Film Academy

Stralauer Allee 2A 10245 Berlin, Germany

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