The European Film Awards (EFAs) are preparing to make their boldest statement yet. For the first time, the ceremony has been strategically moved from its traditional December slot to the middle of the US awards season, positioning itself squarely between the Golden Globes and the Oscars. This calculated shift signals a growing confidence that European cinema is ready to step into a spotlight increasingly vacated by mainstream Hollywood.
A New Season for 'Grown-Up' Cinema
Scott Roxborough, European bureau chief for the Hollywood Reporter, crystallised the prevailing sentiment: "Hollywood has stopped making movies for adults, with a few exceptions. That leaves room for the Europeans, who only make films for adults." This perceived gap in the market for serious dramatic filmmaking is one the European Film Academy is eager to exploit. The 38th edition, taking place at Berlin's House of World Cultures, is being framed not just as an awards show, but as a crucial tastemaker for sophisticated global cinema.
Leading the charge is Norwegian director Joachim Trier's Sentimental Value, a meta-family drama nominated in five categories, including best European film. The film, which explores familial estrangement and artistic rivalry, has already claimed the Grand Prix at Cannes and a Golden Globe for its Swedish star, Stellan Skarsgård. It is now viewed as a formidable contender for the Oscars in March. "It's the kind of serious dramatic film that Hollywood is generating fewer and fewer of," Roxborough noted.
The Contenders and the Campaign
Trier's film faces stiff competition from a diverse slate of European auteurs. Spanish director Óliver Laxe's thriller Sirāt, described as 'Mad Max meets Stalker', has secured four nominations. German newcomer Mascha Schilinski's The Sound of Falling and Iranian master Jafar Panahi's French co-production It Was Just an Accident each have three nominations.
This year's ceremony itself is undergoing a transformation. In place of a conventional host, Irish documentary-maker Mark Cousins will "curate" the event as a "live film essay". This rebranding is part of a concerted effort to boost the awards' glamour and influence. Distributors have held special screenings to canvas votes, and there are signs that marketing campaigns for European films are beginning to pivot around EFA recognition.
Mike Downey, the outgoing chair of the European Film Academy, stated: "European cinema has gone on the front foot and repositioned itself to take on Hollywood – by moving its dates this year to the middle of January. Our major overhaul and rebranding radically boosts our profile and, indeed, European cinema's importance in the international awards season."
Box Office and Cultural Confidence
The push for recognition comes alongside growing commercial confidence. While Hollywood blockbusters still dominate European multiplexes, 2025 saw strong performances for select homegrown titles. French films recorded a 6% rise in international markets, and German media urged its film industry not to "make itself smaller than it is."
Downey pointed to broader parity, noting that in 2024, cinema admissions in Europe and the US were "neck and neck" with $8.4 billion and $8.5 billion respectively. "So, there's everything to play for," he concluded. This confluence of artistic ambition, strategic scheduling, and commercial resilience suggests the European Film Awards are no longer just Europe's answer to the Oscars, but a potential challenger for the soul of adult-oriented cinema on the global stage.
