european film awardsEurope’s equivalent of the Oscars, will move from its traditional December slot to mid-January in 2026.
european film academywhich oversees the awards, said the move of the date was part of an ongoing strategy to re-present and brand the event and its work.
Both the 36th edition this year and the 37th edition in 2024 will be held in December as before. After this, the 38th edition will run in mid-January in 2026.
The Academy believes that by moving the ceremony to the beginning of the calendar year, European nominees and winners will be more prominently featured in international awards season, including the Oscars.
The EFA nominations will continue to be announced until mid-November each year, providing a large window to promote nominated films.
Academy members eligible to vote will be able to view the films on the Academy VOD platform or in cinema screenings if the nominated films are released during this period or are part of Academy-organized events, such as the European Film Month.
“European cinema is one of the great influential creative and cultural forces in the global cinema hierarchy,” says the European Film Academy’s President of the Board. Mike Downey,
“The Board’s decision to re-establish the European Film Awards after nearly four decades in December marks a fundamentally positive change because it is finally where it should be: front and center of the awards season, where it can make Maximizing impact for European candidates, as well as enhancing the Academy’s role as a key player in the global awards game.
Academy CEO matthijs wouter knoll said the change would immediately prolong its new public-facing month of the European Film Initiative.
inaugural edition Which ran for a month from mid-November last year, celebrating European cinema in 45 countries simultaneously.
“In the following years, we will develop the event into a proper awards season for films from Europe. Having established the season on our continent, we are keen to explore strategic collaborations and reach audiences in other parts of the world by 2026,” said Knoll.
“Fans of European movies are everywhere. We want to make people aware that European cinema exists, to make it more easily discoverable. We want to offer European cinema where people love to watch movies From cinema to streaming platform.
Under the current awards calendar, the European Film Awards will take their place in the international awards corridor between the Golden Globes, the BAFTAs and the Oscars.
The planned mid-January slot will place the ceremony on the weekend after the Golden Globes and before the close of nomination voting for the Oscars.
The European Film Academy said it made its decision in consultation with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and BAFTA, as well as the management of festivals such as Sundance, Gothenburg, Rotterdam and Berlinale. All future European Film Awards will take place immediately after the weekend.