European Film Academy facts for kids

The European Film Academy is a group of filmmakers from Europe. They first came together in Berlin, Germany, in November 1988. This was for the first European Film Awards ceremony.

Every year, the European Film Academy celebrates great films and filmmakers. They do this with the European Film Awards. The awards show happens in a different European city every even year. In odd years, it takes place in Berlin.

History of the Academy

The European Film Academy started in 1989. It was first called the European Cinema Society. It was founded by Swedish director Ingmar Bergman. Forty other filmmakers from across Europe joined him. These included famous names like Bernardo Bertolucci and Wim Wenders. Ingmar Bergman was the first president. Wim Wenders became the chairman.

In 1990, the group changed its name to the European Film Academy. It became a non-profit organization.

In 1996, Wim Wenders took over as president from Bergman. Nik Powell, a producer from Britain, became the new chairman.

Mike Downey, an Irish-British film producer, became chairman in 2020.

In 2021, Polish filmmaker Agnieszka Holland made history. She became the first woman to be president of the Academy. That same year, the Academy stopped using the short name "EFA." They now call themselves the "European Film Academy" or simply "the Academy." They also got a new logo in August 2021.

In May 2024, French actress Juliette Binoche was chosen as the new president. She took over from Agnieszka Holland.

How the Academy Works

The Board of Directors

The Academy's board has members from different parts of Europe. Board members are chosen for two years. They can serve for a maximum of three terms. Since 2024, the 15 board members are chosen from 15 different regions in Europe. These regions include various countries. There is also a special board seat for a representative from the Sámi or Roma people in Europe.

Board meetings happen three times a year. One of these meetings is always in Berlin, where the Academy is based.

• President: Juliette Binoche (since 2024)
• Chair of the board: Mike Downey (since 2020)
• CEO and director: Matthijs Wouter Knol (since 2021)
• Deputy chairs: Ada Solomon, Joanna Szymańska
• Current members of the board: Bettina Brokemper, Başak Emre, Daniel Hočevar, Nina Hoss, Denis Ivanov, Giorgos Karnavas, Hanka Kastelicová, Tine Klint, Paz Lázaro Barquilla, Christophe Leparc, Leontine Petit, Marija Razgutė, Maria Nevina Satta, Jim Sheridan, Mira Staleva, Anne-Lajla Utsi.
• Honorary members of the board: Sir Ben Kingsley, István Szabó
• Former honorary members of the board: Dušan Makavejev, Jeanne Moreau

Members from Different Countries

Ingmar Bergman, the first president of the Academy from 1988 to 1996

The number of members in the Academy has grown over time. It was first limited to 99 people. Now, the Academy invites new members once a year. As of January 1, 2025, there are 5,383 members.

The Academy has members in 52 countries. This includes countries in geographical Europe, as well as Israel and Palestine.

How the Academy is Funded

The European Film Academy gets most of its money from a German lottery. It also gets support from the German government and a media board in Berlin. The European Film Awards ceremony is funded separately. A company called European Film Academy Productions (formerly EFA Productions) helps produce the awards show for television. This company was started in 2006 and is part of the European Film Academy. The awards also get support from people in the international film industry.

Academy Presidents

Presidents of the European Film Academy

Photo	Name and Surname	Country	Mandate
	Ingmar Bergman	Sweden	1988–1996
	Wim Wenders	Germany	1996–2020
	Agnieszka Holland	Poland	2020–2024
	Juliette Binoche	France	2024–present

Yearly Academy Activities

The European Film Academy organizes many activities throughout the year. These activities focus on film policies, business, art, and training. The main goal is to connect creative people with the film industry. The program includes conferences, seminars, and workshops. Some of these events have become important gatherings for the European film community.

The Short Film Initiative

This program works with fifteen film festivals across Europe. At each festival, a special jury chooses one European short film. This film then gets a nomination for the European Film Awards in the short film category.

A Sunday in the Country

This is a special weekend event. About 10 young European filmmakers meet with experienced members of the European Film Academy. These private meetings allow for a great exchange of ideas and experiences.

Conferences and Seminars

The Academy supports and starts conferences. These meetings discuss what European film is, how it is changing, and where it is headed in the future.

Master Classes

These classes help young filmmakers learn new skills. They combine learning in theory with hands-on practice. Many famous film professionals have taught these classes. Some of them include Jean-Jacques Annaud, Krzysztof Kieślowski, Tilda Swinton, and István Szabó.

European Film Awards

The Theater des Westens in Berlin was the first place where the European Film Awards were held in 1988

The yearly European Film Awards ceremony is the most well-known activity of the European Film Academy. Before 1997, these awards were called FELIX. The Academy wants to achieve a few things with these awards:

• Make people more interested in European cinema.
• Showcase the cultural and artistic quality of European films.
• Help people trust that European films are entertaining.

To help with these goals, the People's Choice Award was added in 1997. This award lets the public vote for their favorite film. In 2020, the People's Choice Award joined with the Lux Award from the European Parliament. This new award is called the LUX Audience Award. The films nominated for the LUX Audience Award are announced during the European Film Awards ceremony. After that, these nominated films are shown to the public in many European cities.

Members of the European Film Academy help choose, nominate, and award the films for the European Film Awards.

The European Film Awards happen on the second weekend of December. They are the first major awards show in the international awards season. Many films that are nominated or win at the European Film Awards also get nominated or win at other big awards, like the Golden Globes or the Oscars. Film producers and distributors have often said that winning or being nominated for a European Film Award helps their films win other international awards.

Month of European Film

Since 2022, the European Film Academy has organized an annual "Month of European Film." This program highlights European films in the month before the European Film Awards. Films are shown in European cinemas, on television, and through streaming platforms. A test version of this event happened in Berlin in 2021. The first official Month of European Film started in November 2022 at the Seville European Film Festival. It took place in many European cities at the same time.

See also

In Spanish: Academia de Cine Europeo para niños