EFA 2014 - Show Highlights

EFA Night 2014 - Highlights

On a stage with a gigantic projection flower installation bathed in spheric lights, host Thomas Hermanns welcomed the 1,000 guests at Riga's Latvian National Opera to the 27th European Film Awards. The German comedian introduced himself as an openly gay German comedian and promised full-service hosting which included a baggage check at the entrance and the serving of drinks to guests on the balcony and in front of the stage.

Dutch actor Barry Atsma and his Romanian colleague Ada Condeescu announced the European Discovery 2014 - Prix FIPRESCI which went to THE TRIBE by Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy. The Ukrainian director confessed that he was not prepared to receive the evening's first award and dedicated it to the deaf community.

Short Film 2014 went to THE CHICKEN by Una Gunjak. Visibly touched, the director thanked all her collaborators and dedicated the award to her mother.

EFA President Wim Wenders held a speech honouring Steve McQueen, recipient of the EFA's European Achievement in World Cinema Award, as a man who "with only three films has already become legendary".

Dutch actress Silvia Hoeks next presented European Screenwriter 2014, an award that went to Pawel Pawlikowski & Rebecca Lenkiewicz for IDA.

European Documentary 2014, presented by actress Tanja Ribic (Slovenia) and actor Branko Ðuric (Bosnia & Herzegovina), went to MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE by Marc Bauder. Stating that all nominated documentaries would have deserved the award, the German director thanked his wife and the academy members.

Latvian actress Rezija Kalnina welcomed Europe to her home country and presented the award European Animated Feature Film 2014 to the Italian film THE ART OF HAPPINESS by Alessandro Rak who dedicated the film to his cousins.

Italian actor Luca Zingaretti presented the European Co-production Award - Prix EURIMAGES to Ed Guiney and French actress Ariane Labed announced the recipient of the award European Actor 2014: Timothy Spall in MR. TURNER. The British actor stated that it was so surprising to him that he "wore silly shoes because I wanted to cheer myself up".

Austrian actor Tobias Moretti came on stage to present the jury awards which had been previously announced.

Next was the legendary Norwegian actress and director Liv Ullmann who presented the nominated directors in five individual laudatory speeches addressing them individually and creating one of the emotional highlights of the evening. European Director 2014 went to Pawel Pawlikowski for IDA, his second award this evening. The Polish director was moved by receiving the award from the hands of Liv Ullmann and thanked the other nominees for “being losers – this time”.

RIGA2014 ambassadors Gustavs Terzens and Marta Selecka then came onstage and announced the People's Choice Award 2014, again for IDA. Thomas Hermanns next shared the nightmares he had when asked to host the show which included doing a dance number in pink leg warmers for Lars von trier and led to a show element that can only be experienced, never described.
The Danish actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau announced Marion Cotillard in TWO DAY, ONE NIGHT as winner of the European Actress 2014 award and Polish actor Andrzej Chyra presented European Comedy 2014. The award went to THE MAFIA ONLY KILLS IN SUMMER by Pierfrancesco Diliberto who said that he was so sure to lose that he “bet money on the Spanish movie". He dedicated his award to the victims of the Mafia.

EFA Chairwoman Agnieszka Holland held the laudatory speech for Agnès Varda, recipient of the EFA Lifetime Achievement Award. To standing ovations, the French director "Oh, lala" begged the audience to sit down and expressed her joy at receiving the award. "More women should be chosen," she said.

Presenting the nominees for European Film 2014 were actors Johannes Kuhnke (FORCE MAJEURE) and Alexey Serebryakov (LEVIATHAN), actress Melisa Sözen (WINTER SLEEP), cinematographer Lukasz Zal (Poland, IDA) and producer Marie Gade (NYMPHOMANIAC). The award finally went to IDA, the big winner of the night.