"Emilia Perez" and "The Next Room" are favorites of European Film Awards 2024

By Alimat Aliyeva

The award ceremony of the European Film Academy (European Film Awards 2024), often referred to as the "European Oscars," will take place on December 7 in Lucerne, Switzerland.

For the first time this year, films nominated in the categories of "Best Documentary" and "Best Animated Film" will also be competing for the prestigious title of Best European Film of the Year.

The shortlist includes notable works such as the winner of the Golden Bear, the documentary "Dahomey" by Mati Diop, and the Latvian animated film "Stream" by Gints Zilbalodis.

The leading contenders are "Emilia Perez" by Jacques Audiard, a two-time Cannes winner and French Oscar contender, and "The Next Room," the Golden Lion-winning film from Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar.

Both films dominate the nominations, vying for Best European Film, Director, and Screenplay, with Carla Sofia Gascon ("Emilia Perez") and Tilda Swinton ("The Next Room") nominated for Best Actress.

Other favorites include the Iranian drama "The Seed of the Sacred Fig" by Mohammad Rasulof, which is nominated for Best Film, Director, and Screenplay, as well as the body horror film "Substance" by French director Coralie Fargeat, which won the Best Screenplay Award at Cannes.

This year’s ceremony promises to be a celebration of diverse and innovative cinema, with films exploring everything from powerful human stories to genre-defying works.