European Film Awards Opens With Jafar Panahi Iran Plea & Prizes For ‘Arco’ & ‘Sirāt’ – Updating Live
Iranian director Jafar Panahi kicked off the 38th European Film Awards in Berlin on Saturday with an impassioned plea asking the world not to remain silent in the wake of “the unprecedented massacre” unfolding in Iran.
Panahi was speaking ten days into a brutal crackdown by Iran’s hardline government of nationwide popular protests. At least 3,000 protestors are believed to have been killed and another 18,000 arrested, although Panahi reiterated report of 12,000 deaths in his speech.
“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. Violence left unanswered becomes normalized and when it become normalized, it’s spread become contagious,” he said.
“When the truth is crushed in one place, freedom suffocates everywhere. Then no-one is safe. Anywhere in the world, not in Iran, not in Europe, not in America… that is precisely why 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.”
Panahi’s film It Was Just An Accident is one of the hot contenders at this year’s edition of the European Film Awards taking place in its new January slot placing it at the heart of the awards season.
Norwegian director Joachim Trier’s Cannes Grand Prix winner Sentimental Value is the frontrunner with nominations in the best film, director and screenplay, while co-stars Renate Reinsve and Stellan Skarsgård are nominated for best actress and actor, respectively.
Other strong contenders include Oliver Laxe’s Morocco-set drama Sirāt with four nominations, followed by Mascha Schilinski’s debut film Sound of Falling and Panahi’s It Was Just An Accident with three nominations each.
In the first major award of the evening, Arco by Ugo Bienvenu won the Best European Animated Feature Film.
It continues award-winning spree for the work, produced by Natalie Portman produced with Sophie Mas under their joint Paris and New York banner MountainA and Félix de Givry, which also won Best Film At Annecy and is on the Bafta long-list for Best Animated Film.
In other awards announced early in the evening, Oliver Laxe’s Oscar hopeful Sirāt won Best European Production Designer.
Deadline is in Berlin covering the ceremony, check in here for live update.
2026 European Film Awards Winners:
Best European Animated Feature Film
Arco (France)
Directed by Ugo Bienvenu
European Production Designer
Laia Ateca for Sirāt
European Costume Designer
Sabrina Krämer for Sound Of Falling
European Discovery – Prix FIPRESCI
On Falling (United Kingdom, Portugal)
Directed by Laura Carreira
European Young Audience Award
Siblings (Italy)
Directed by Greta Scarano
European Short Film – Prix Vimeo
City of Poets
Directed by John Smith
