European Film Awards 2026: 'Sentimental Value' and 'Sirāt' Top Key Category Nods

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European Film Awards 2026 Nominations Unveiled

The European Film Academy has announced the nominees for the 2026 European Film Awards (EFA), often considered the Oscars’ counterpart in Europe. Among the standout films, Sentimental Value and Sirāt have emerged as leading contenders, each receiving four nominations.

Sentimental Value – A Family Drama with Strong Performances

Directed by Joachim Trier, Sentimental Value has received multiple accolades, including Best European Film, Best Director, Best Actress for Renate Reinsve, Best Actor for Stellan Skarsgård, and Best Screenwriter for Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier.

The film, which won this year’s Grand Prix at Cannes, delves into the complexities of family dynamics with a heartfelt narrative. Reinsve and Skarsgård deliver exceptional performances, while the script explores emotional and psychological depths that resonate with viewers.

In a review, it was noted: “Despite a predictable denouement you’ll have guessed by the end of the first act, Sentimental Value does come together as a mature ode to trying one’s best and how, in some cases, life and art can converge to create something bigger.”

Sirāt – A Post-Apocalyptic Odyssey

Neck and neck with Sentimental Value is Sirāt, one of the most acclaimed films of 2025 and winner of the Cannes Jury Prize. Directed by Óliver Laxe, the film is nominated for Best European Film, Best Director, Best Actor for Sergi López, and Best Screenwriter for Santiago Fillol and Laxe.

The film’s unique storytelling and spiritual undertones have left a lasting impression on audiences. In a review, it was praised as “a dizzying and invigorating trance that you’re sure to take this film home with you. Its impact will reverberate in your mind and bones.”

Other Notable Nominations

Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just An Accident, which won the Palme d’Or, has three nominations, including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Screenwriter for Panahi. Similarly, The Sound of Falling received three nods, with recognition for Best Film, Best Director, and Best Screenwriter.

A total of fifteen features are competing for the Best European Film prize, following a rule change that allows films shortlisted for Best Documentary and Best Animation categories to also compete for the top prize.

Event Details and Honors

Traditionally held in December, the 38th European Film Awards will be held in Berlin on 17 January 2026, aligning better with the international awards season.

Oscar-nominated Norwegian actress and director Liv Ullmann will receive a lifetime achievement honor at next year’s EFAs, while Italian director Alice Rohrwacher will be honored with the European Achievement in World Cinema Award.

Full List of EFA 2026 Nominations

Best European Film

  • Afternoons of Solitude (Spain, France) – Directed by Albert Serra
  • Arco (France) – Directed by Ugo Bienvenu
  • Dog of God (Latvia, US) – Directed by Raitis Ābele & Lauris Ābele
  • Fiume o Morte! (Croatia, Slovenia, Italy) – Directed by Igor Bezinović
  • It Was Just An Accident (France, Iran, Luxembourg) – Directed by Jafar Panahi
  • Little Amélie (France) – Directed by Maïlys Vallade & Liane-Cho Han
  • Olivia and the Invisible Earthquake (Spain, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Chile) – Directed by Irene Iborra Rizo
  • Riefenstahl (Germany) – Directed by Andrés Veiel
  • Sentimental Value (Norway, France, Denmark, Germany, Sweden) – Directed by Joachim Trier
  • Sirāt (Spain, France) – Directed by Oliver Laxe
  • Songs of Slow Burning Earth (Ukraine, France, Denmark, Sweden) – Directed by Olha Zhurba
  • The Sound of Falling (Germany) – Directed by Mascha Schilinski
  • Tales from the Magic Garden (Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, France) – Directed by David Súkup, Patrik Pašš, Leon Vidmar & Jean-Claude Rozec
  • The Voice of Hind Rajab (France, Tunisia) – Directed by Kaouther Ben Hania
  • With Hasan in Gaza (Germany) – Directed by Kamal Aljafari

Best European Documentary

  • Afternoons of Solitude
  • Fiume o Morte!
  • Riefenstahl
  • Songs of Slow Burning Earth
  • With Hasan in Gaza

Best European Animated Feature Film

  • Arco
  • Dog of God
  • Little Amélie
  • Olivia and the Invisible Earthquake
  • Tales from the Magic Garden

Best European Director

  • Yorgos Lanthimos for Bugonia
  • Oliver Laxe for Sirāt
  • Jafar Panahi for It Was Just An Accident
  • Mascha Schilinski for The Sound of Falling
  • Joachim Trier for Sentimental Value

European Actress

  • Leonie Benesch in Late Shift
  • Valeria Bruni Tedeschi in Duse
  • Léa Drucker in Case 137
  • Vicky Krieps in Love Me Tender
  • Renate Reinsve in Sentimental Value

European Actor

  • Sergi López in Sirāt
  • Mads Mikkelsen in The Last Viking
  • Toni Servillo in La Grazia
  • Stellan Skarsgård in Sentimental Value
  • Idan Weiss in Franz

European Screenwriter

  • Santiago Fillol & Oliver Laxe for Sirāt
  • Jafar Panahi for It Was Just An Accident
  • Mascha Schilinski & Louise Peter for The Sound of Falling
  • Paolo Sorrentino for La Grazia
  • Eskil Vogt & Joachim Trier for Sentimental Value

European Discovery – Prix FIPRESCI

  • Little Trouble Girls (Slovenia, Italy, Croatia, Serbia) – Directed by Urška Djukić
  • My Father’s Shadow (United Kingdom, Nigeria) – Directed by Akinola Davies Jr
  • On Falling (United Kingdom, Portugal) – Directed by Laura Carreira
  • One of Those Days When Hemme Dies (Turkey, Germany) – Directed by Murat Fıratoğlu
  • Sauna (Denmark) – Directed by Mathias Broe
  • Under the Grey Sky (Poland) – Directed by Mara Tamkovich

European Young Audience Award

  • Arco
  • I Accidentally Wrote a Book (Hungary, Netherlands) – Directed by Nóra Lakos
  • Siblings (Italy) – Directed by Greta Scarano

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