32nd European Film Awards 2019: Full List of Nominees

The nominees for the 32nd European Film Awards have been announced, with a range of films, directors and performers representing the current vitality and variety of European cinema. The ceremony is scheduled to take place in Berlin on 7 December 2019. This year’s selection highlights both established auteurs and emerging voices across drama, documentary, animation and short film categories.

Among the most discussed nominations is Roman Polanski, whose film An Officer and a Spy earned nods for Best Film, Best Screenwriter and Best Director. The presence of Polanski on the list has sparked conversation, as has the strong showing of other prominent filmmakers such as Yorgos Lanthimos, Pedro Almodóvar and Céline Sciamma. Several films appear in multiple major categories, reflecting broad critical support across performance, direction and writing.

Notable contenders include Yorgos Lanthimos’s The Favourite, Pedro Almodóvar’s Pain and Glory, and Céline Sciamma’s Portrait of a Lady on Fire. These films have attracted attention internationally for their distinct artistic vision and performances. The nominations also recognize an eclectic array of stories and forms, from intimate character studies to socially engaged dramas and inventive animated features.

The full list below presents the nominees across all categories announced for the 2019 European Film Awards. The selection offers a snapshot of current trends in European filmmaking: strong female-led dramas, politically attuned documentaries, diverse storytelling across nations, and a healthy representation of genre and innovative filmmaking.

European Film

An Officer and A Spy
Les Miserables
Pain and Glory
System Crasher
The Favourite
The Traitor

European Comedy

Ditte & Louise
Tel Aviv on Fire
The Favourite

European Discover – Prix Fipresci

Aniara
Atlantics
Blind Spot
Irina
Les Miserables
Ray & Liz

European Documentary

For Sama
Honeyland
Putin’s Witnesses
Selfie
The Disappearance of My Mother

European Animated Film

Bunuel in the Labyrinth of the Turtles
I Lost My Body
Marona’s Fantastic Tale
The Swallows of Kabul

European Short Film

Dogs Barking At Birds
Reconstruction
The Christmas Gift
The Marvellous Misadventures of the Stone Lady
Watermelon Juice

European Director

Roman Polanski (An Officer and A Spy)
Pedro Almodóvar (Pain and Glory)
Céline Sciamma (Portrait of a Lady on Fire)
Yorgos Lanthimos (The Favourite)
Marco Bellocchio (The Traitor)

European Actress

Viktoria Miroshnichenko (Beanpole)
Noémie Merlant (Portrait of a Lady on Fire)
Adèle Haenel (Portrait of a Lady on Fire)
Trine Dyrholm (Queen of Hearts)
Helena Zengel (System Crasher)
Olivia Colman (The Favourite)

European Actor

Ingvar E. Sigurdsson (A White, White Day)
Jean Dujardin (An Officer and A Spy)
Levan Gelbakhiani (And Then We Danced)
Alexander Scheer (Gundermann)
Antonio Banderas (Pain and Glory)
Pierfrancesco Favino (The Traitor)

European Screenwriter

Roman Polanski / Robert Harris (An Officer and A Spy)
Giordano Gederlini / Ladj Ly / Alexis Manenti (Les Miserables)
Pedro Almodóvar (Pain and Glory)
Céline Sciamma (Portrait of a Lady on Fire)
Francesco Piccolo / Marco Bellocchio / Ludovica Rampoldi / Valia Santella (The Traitor)

The nominations underscore the strength of European filmmaking in 2019, balancing celebrated veterans with new talents. Many nominated films have already resonated with critics and audiences at international festivals and in theatrical release, and the European Film Awards will offer further recognition of these achievements.

In addition to the competitive categories above, the European Film Awards traditionally honour outstanding careers and lifetime achievements. It was previously reported that Juliette Binoche would receive the 2019 European Achievement in World Cinema Award, an acknowledgement of her significant impact on international film.

As the awards ceremony approaches, attention will focus on which films and artists convert nominations into wins. The list of nominees provides a concise guide to some of the most compelling European films released this year, reflecting a wide range of artistic approaches and cultural perspectives.