Hollywood used to be the king of movies for grown-ups, but now? Not so much. Is Hollywood abandoning sophisticated storytelling for blockbuster franchises, leaving a gap for European cinema to fill? The European Film Awards (EFAs) are betting on it, positioning themselves as a major player in recognizing and celebrating films that cater to a more mature audience. Think of them as "Europe's answer to the Oscars," even if historically, their impact on box office numbers hasn't been quite as seismic. But times are changing...
The European Film Academy is making a bold move this year. They've shifted their annual ceremony from December to mid-January, smack-dab in the middle of the US awards season, right between the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards. This strategic shift aims to amplify their influence and put European cinema front and center during the most crucial time for film recognition.
According to Scott Roxborough, European bureau chief for The Hollywood Reporter, "Hollywood has stopped making movies for adults, with a few exceptions. That leaves room for the Europeans, who only make films for adults." It's a pretty direct statement, right? But here's where it gets controversial... are Hollywood studios really neglecting adult audiences, or are they simply catering to a different definition of "adult" entertainment? Perhaps it's a matter of prioritizing spectacle and escapism over nuanced character studies and complex narratives.
This Saturday, Berlin's House of World Cultures will host the 38th edition of the EFAs. One film poised for a big night is Sentimental Value, a family drama by Norwegian director Joachim Trier. The film has garnered five nominations, including Best European Film. This meta-narrative exploring familial discord and artistic rivalry has already snagged the Grand Prix at Cannes and a Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe for Swedish acting legend Stellan Skarsgård. And many believe it's a strong contender for Oscar recognition come March. Roxborough emphasizes that Sentimental Value embodies "the kind of serious dramatic film that Hollywood is generating fewer and fewer of."
It's worth noting that the Oscars have become more inclusive of international films in recent years. Since expanding the Best Picture nominee list from five to ten films in 2009, we've seen a noticeable increase in non-English-language films vying for the top prize. Recent examples include Ruben Östlund’s Triangle of Sadness, Justine Triet’s Anatomy of a Fall, Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest, and Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Pérez. This trend suggests a growing appreciation for diverse voices and perspectives within the Academy.
At the EFAs, Sentimental Value faces stiff competition from Sirāt, a thriller by Spanish director Óliver Laxe, which blends elements of Mad Max and Stalker and has four nominations. Other notable contenders include German newcomer Mascha Schilinski’s The Sound of Falling and Iranian auteur Jafar Panahi’s French co-produced It Was Just an Accident, each nominated in three categories.
This year's ceremony will be “curated” by Irish documentary-maker Mark Cousins as a “live film essay,” instead of having a traditional host. And this is the part most people miss... this shift highlights the EFA's intention to reframe the awards as a more intellectually stimulating and culturally significant event. To further amplify the impact of the EFAs, distributors have organized special screenings of nominated films to sway voters. Roxborough notes that some European distributors are beginning to incorporate the awards into their marketing strategies, signaling a growing recognition of the EFA's influence.
British producer Mike Downey, the outgoing chair of the European Film Academy, asserts that "European cinema has gone on the front foot and repositioned itself to take on Hollywood – by moving its dates this year to the middle of January." He adds that the "major overhaul and rebranding radically boosts our profile and, indeed, European cinema’s importance in the international awards season."
While the EFA's selections lean towards art-house cinema, Hollywood blockbusters still dominate the European box office. However, the strong performance of certain homegrown productions provides European distributors with reason for optimism. As German broadsheet Süddeutsche Zeitung proclaimed, "This year has given us irrefutable proof that German film shouldn’t make itself smaller than it is." French films, for instance, experienced a 6% increase in international markets in 2025.
Downey concludes that "It is not just in the culture wars that Europe is holding its own – it’s at the box office as well." He notes that when comparing cinema admissions in the age of streaming, Europe and the US are nearly tied, with respective earnings of $8.4 billion and $8.5 billion in 2024, and projections for 2025 looking similar. "So, there’s everything to play for."
So, what do you think? Is European cinema truly poised to take over the space left by Hollywood's focus on blockbusters? Or is there room for both types of films to thrive? And, perhaps more controversially, is the distinction between "adult" and "non-adult" films even relevant in today's diverse cinematic landscape? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
