The European Film Awards is set to make its debut in Southwestern Europe in January 2027, when its 39th edition will be hosted in Athens.
The award show, which were first presented in Berlin in 1988 to promote and support the European film industry, previously took place in London, Paris, Rome, Barcelona, Warsaw, Copenhagen, Tallinn, Malta, Riga, Wroclaw, Seville, Reykjavík and most recently in Lucerne, Switzerland.
The 2027 European Film Awards will take place in the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (pictured), following the traditional Mayor’s Night reception on the eve of the award ceremony at the Zappeion Megaron.
“We are delighted to announce that the European Film Awards will be taking place in the magnificent city of Athens,” says Matthijs Wouter Knol, Academy CEO. “Greece, with its rich cultural heritage and profound cinematic history, provides the perfect backdrop for celebrating the achievements of European cinema. The vibrant Greek film industry of today will undoubtedly inspire a celebration of European cinema, also during the annual Month of European Film that precedes the award ceremony. We look forward to honouring the best in European filmmaking in such an extraordinary setting.”
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Dr. Lina Mendoni, minister of culture of the Hellenic Republic, said, “The selection of Athens confirms its dynamism as an international cultural hub, hosting events of global significance, serving as a vibrant nucleus of the contemporary creative industry, and boosting the extroversion of domestic audiovisual production.” She pointed out that the ceremony “presents an outstanding opportunity to renew the ties between Greek creators and their European counterparts” and “highlights the high-quality work of Greek creators, proving that the systematic efforts of the Ministry of Culture, through continuous encouragement and substantial support of the Greek audiovisual sector, are bearing fruit.”
Haris Doukas, the mayor of Athens, noted the city already has a strong bond with the film community through its support of international and national film productions “which find in our magnificent monuments, unique neighbourhoods, and the unparalleled vibes of our city the ideal setting to shoot their films.”
The 37th European Film Awards took place in December in Switzerland and saw Jacques Audiard‘s “Emilia Pérez” winning best film, director, screenwriter and actress.