Joachim Trier’s Norwegian melodrama Sentimental Value dominated this year’s European Film Awards, sweeping major categories and positioning itself as a serious Oscar contender.
But politics stole much of the spotlight at Saturday’s ceremony.
Iranian director Jafar Panahi delivered a powerful opening statement that received a standing ovation, while lifetime achievement honoree Liv Ullmann took a sly dig at former President Trump.
The event marked a significant scheduling shift—moving from December to mid-January—in hopes of amplifying European films’ chances at international awards season.
Sentimental Value Sweeps Major Categories
Trier’s film claimed five EFA trophies, including best film, best director, and acting honors for both Stellan Skarsgård and Renate Reinsve.
Trier and co-writer Eskil Vogt also took home best screenplay, while composer Hania Rani won for best score. The clean sweep positions Sentimental Value as a formidable force heading into Oscar voting, where industry insiders have already tipped it for best picture, acting nominations for both leads, and a possible directing nod for Trier.
The timing couldn’t be better—the EFA’s scheduling shift appears designed precisely for this kind of awards-season momentum.
Spain and Germany’s Oscar Contenders Score Technical Wins
Oliver Laxe’s Sirāt, Spain’s official Oscar submission, racked up multiple technical awards including best production design, sound design, editing, and cinematography. The film also claimed the inaugural best casting award.
Germany’s Sound of Falling, competing for best international feature at the Academy Awards, secured European Costume Design honors.
Ugo Bienvenu’s animated fantasy Arco won top prize for European Animation Feature Film, while Torsten Witte took home the first-ever hair and makeup EFA honor for Bugonia.
Politics Takes Center Stage
Anyone expecting a depoliticized, Golden Globes-style affair was quickly disappointed. Politics dominated from the opening moments.
Panahi took the stage before the ceremony began, addressing the brutal crackdown on protests in Iran. Speaking ten days into nationwide demonstrations that have reportedly claimed at least 3,000 lives and resulted in 18,000 arrests, Panahi delivered an urgent call to action.
This is not just the pain of one country if the world does not respond to this blatant violence today. Not only Iran but the entire world is at risk.
He continued with a stark warning about normalized violence.
Violence left unanswered becomes normalized and when it become normalized, it’s spread become contagious. When the truth is crushed in one place, freedom suffocates everywhere.
Panahi emphasized filmmakers’ responsibility to speak out, especially when political leadership fails.
Today as filmmakers and artists more than ever, if we are disappointed with politicians, we must at least must refuse to remain silent because silence in a time of crime is not neutrality silence, silence is a participation in darkness.
Liv Ullmann’s Subtle Trump Jab
Receiving the EFA’s lifetime achievement honor, Norwegian actress and director Liv Ullmann—twice Oscar-nominated for 1970s classics like Cries and Whispers and Scenes From a Marriage—used her platform for political commentary.
She referenced Norwegian Nobel Prize rules with pointed humor.
If you misuse the Nobel Prize, we take it away from you. Somebody in power in the United States may be disappointed. He will lose it.
The comment alluded to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado’s controversial decision to give her Nobel peace prize medal to Trump.
Alice Rohrwacher’s Call to Remain “Obstinate and Contrary”
Italian director Alice Rohrwacher received the European Achievement in World Cinema Award, dedicating it to her sister, actress Alba Rohrwacher.
My great love, my sister Alba.
But Rohrwacher, director of La Chimera and Happy as Lazzaro, didn’t stop there. She urged the audience to resist those calling for militarism and exploitation.
Remain obstinate and contrary in the face of those who call for war, new weapons and extractivism—as if the world were a cash mine—to remind them that we are many.
Strategic Timing Could Boost European Films’ Oscar Chances
The EFA’s shift from December to mid-January represents calculated strategy. By positioning awards closer to Oscar voting deadlines, European films gain crucial late-season visibility.
Early indicators suggest it’s working. Sentimental Value‘s five-trophy haul gives it undeniable momentum. Sirāt‘s technical dominance showcases Spain’s craftsmanship. Sound of Falling remains Germany’s best hope for international feature recognition.
Whether this translates to Oscar gold remains uncertain, but European cinema clearly positioned itself front and center at precisely the right moment in awards season.
The political overtones throughout Saturday’s ceremony also sent a clear message: European filmmakers refuse to separate art from activism, even as Hollywood increasingly opts for safer, sanitized award shows.