The 38th European Film Awards ceremony in Berlin culminated in a triumphant night for Norwegian director Joachim Trier, whose film Sentimental Value secured a clean sweep of the major honours.
A Night of Dominance for Trier's Meta-Drama
Held on Saturday night, the event saw Trier's poignant drama about an ageing filmmaker and his estranged daughter claim the top five awards. The film was crowned Best European Film, while Trier himself took home the awards for Best Director and Best Screenwriter, the latter shared with Eskil Vogt. The film's stars, Stellan Skarsgård and Renate Reinsve, were honoured as Best Actor and Best Actress respectively, with composer Hania Rani also winning for her score.
This remarkable haul follows the film's previous success, having won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival last year. The awards sweep positions Sentimental Value as a likely strong contender for the upcoming Academy Awards in March.
Other Notable Winners and Ceremony Highlights
While one film dominated the top categories, other works also received recognition. Spanish director Oliver Laxe's existential thriller Sirāt enjoyed a successful evening, winning five technical awards. These included prizes for Best Cinematographer, Best Editor, Best Production Designer, Best Sound Designer, and the award for Best Casting Director.
The ceremony was opened by Iranian auteur Jafar Panahi, who made a political statement regarding unrest in his homeland. He stated, "If we are disappointed with politicians, we must at least refuse to remain silent. Because silence in a time of crime is not neutrality. Silence is a participation in darkness." His film, It Was Just an Accident, however, left empty-handed.
Other key winners included Igor Bezinović's documentary Fiume o Morte! and Laura Carreira's first feature On Falling, which won the Discovery prize. The lifetime achievement award was presented to the acclaimed Swedish actor Liv Ullmann.
A Shift in the Awards Calendar
This year's event marked a significant change for the European Film Academy. For the first time, the ceremony was moved from its traditional December slot to January. This strategic shift is an attempt to establish the awards as a more influential event in their own right, rather than being seen merely as a precursor to the American awards season.
The list of winners at the 38th European Film Awards is as follows:
- Film: Sentimental Value
- Documentary: Fiume o Morte!
- Director: Joachim Trier for Sentimental Value
- Actress: Renate Reinsve for Sentimental Value
- Actor: Stellan Skarsgård for Sentimental Value
- Screenwriter: Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier for Sentimental Value
- Discovery: On Falling
- Casting director: Nadia Acimi, Luís Bértolo and María Rodrigo for Sirāt
- Cinematographer: Mauro Herce for Sirāt
- Composer: Hania Rani for Sentimental Value
- Editor: Cristóbal Fernández for Sirāt
- Sound designer: Laia Casanovas, Amanda Villavieja and Yasmina Praderas for Sirāt
- Lifetime achievement award: Liv Ullmann
