Joachim Trier’s film Sentimental Value took the top prize at the 38th European Film Awards, winning Best Film on Saturday night. This was quite a night for the film, which bagged five awards, including Best Director for Trier and Best Screenwriter for both Trier and Eskil Vogt. The talented Stellan Skarsgård and Renate Reinsve were recognized as Best European Actor and Actress for their roles in the film, respectively. Sentimental Value also won for Best Score, making it a standout at the ceremony.
Other notable films in the running included Sirāt by Oliver Laxe, Sound of Falling by Mascha Schilinski, and Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident. Laxe’s Sirāt was particularly successful, winning several craft awards in categories like Best European Production Designer and Best European Cinematographer.
In the animated feature category, Ugo Bienvenu’s Arco continued its award success. It has previously won at the Annecy International Film Festival and is on the long-list for the BAFTA awards.
During the ceremony, Iranian director Jafar Panahi used his platform to address the significant political unrest in Iran. He highlighted the brutal crackdowns on protests, stating that over 3,000 protestors have reportedly died and thousands more have been arrested. Panahi’s speech called for global awareness about the violence faced by people in Iran, emphasizing that silence only allows such actions to continue unchecked.
In recognition of significant contributions to cinema, Liv Ullmann received an honorary Lifetime Achievement Award. Ullmann pointed out cinema’s role in reflecting human reality and voiced her concerns about political figures being honored inappropriately, referencing a recent event involving Donald Trump.
The awards also celebrated collaboration in filmmaking with Maren Ade, Jonas Dornbach, and Janine Jackowski taking home the Eurimages International Co-Production Award.
The event wrapped up with a range of awards recognizing talent across the European film landscape, showing the diverse and rich storytelling present in today’s cinema.
For more details on the awards and winners, you can visit the European Film Awards official site.
Highlights of the 2026 European Film Awards:
- Best Film: Sentimental Value
- Best Director: Joachim Trier (Sentimental Value)
- Best European Actor: Stellan Skarsgård (Sentimental Value)
- Best European Actress: Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value)
- Best Animated Feature: Arco (France)
- Best Documentary: Fiume o Morte! (Croatia, Slovenia, Italy)
This year’s awards not only showcased incredible talent but also reignited conversations about political issues, reminding us of cinema’s power to influence and bring awareness.
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