The European Film Academy announced October 14 the shortlists for the European Film Awards 2026, taking place on 17 January 2026 in Berlin. The 38th European Film Awards honour the “greatest achievements in European cinema,” and are presented jointly by the European Film Academy and European Film Academy Productions. Fifteen films are included in the Documentary shortlist (scroll down for details) for possible nomination for the European Film Awards, voted for by the members of the European Film Academy.
The overall shortlist also includes 44 fiction feature films and 8 animated feature films. In total, 27 shortlisted films are directed or co-directed by women. With 34 European – both EU and non-EU – countries represented, the list of the selected films “reflects the excellency of European filmmaking demonstrating the variety, diversity and creativity throughout Europe,” organisers underline.
The shortlisted feature and documentary films have been chosen by members of the European Film Academy Board and invited European experts. The Academy Shortlist is based on the Diversity & Inclusion Standards of the European Film Academy.
The announcement of the Academy Shortlist is the first step in the award procedure. Over the coming weeks, the 5,400 members of the European Film Academy will watch the shortlisted films, except for the categories European Young Audience Award, LUX Audience Award and the Honorary Awards, and vote for the nominations.
Nominations for the European Documentary category will be announced on 18 November 2025, following the 22nd Seville European Film Festival. “With this, the European Film Academy revives the tradition of announcing the majority of the nominations in front of an audience — an event that will now return to Seville every two years,” write organisers.
The ceremony of the European Film Awards is presented by the European Film Academy and European Film Academy Production in Berlin on 17 January 2026.
THE EUROPEAN FILM AWARD 2026 DOCUMENTARY SHORTLIST
- AFTERNOONS OF SOLITUDE (TARDES DE SOLEDAD) Directed by Albert Serra. Spain/France
- AN AMERICAN PASTORAL (UNE PASTORALE AMERICAINE) Directed by Auberi Edler. France
- ANCESTRAL VISIONS OF THE FUTURE Directed by Lemohang Mosese. France/Lesotho/Germany/Qatar/Saudi Arabia
- FIUME O MORTE! Directed by Igor Bezinović, Croatia/Slovenia/Italy
- FLOPHOUSE AMERICA Directed by Monica Strømdahl. Norway/Netherlands/United States
- GOOD VALLEY STORIES (HISTORIAS DEL BUEN VALLE) Directed by Jose Luis Guerin. Spain/France
- HAIR, PAPER, WATER… (TÓC, GIẤY VÀ NƯỚC…) Directed by Nicolas Graux, Minh Quý Trương. Belgium/France/Vietnam
- LISTEN TO THE VOICES (KOUTÉ VWA) Directed by Maxime Jean-Baptiste. Belgium/France
- MEMORY Directed by Vladlena Sandu. France/Netherlands
- MILITANTROPOS Directed by Yelizaveta Smith, Alina Gorlova, Simon Mozgovyi. Ukraine/Austria/France
- RIEFENSTAHL Directed by Andres Veiel. Germany
- SONGS OF SLOW BURNING EARTH (ПІСНІ ЗЕМЛІ, ЩО ПОВІЛЬНО ГОРИТЬ) Directed by Olha Zhurba. Ukraine/France/Denmark/Sweden
- THE SHARDS (ОСКОЛКИ) Directed by Masha Chernaya. Georgia/Germany
- TWST / THINGS WE SAID TODAY Directed by Andrei Ujică. France/Romania
- WITH HASAN IN GAZA Directed by Kamal Aljafari. Germany
