Matthijs Wouter Knol on the pivot of the European Oscar season

This year’s awards race has seen an unprecedented surge of European talent with several films from continental arthouses, including that of Joachim Trier. Sentimental valuethat of Olivier Laxe Siratand that of Jafar Panahi It was just an accident (a French-Iranian production by the Iranian director) — heading into the final round as an Oscar favorite. No longer relegated to the fringes of the international circuit, European cinema is at the center of discussions, regularly appearing on shortlists for the Golden Globes and Oscars.

This year, the European Cinema Academy decided to build on that momentum with a bold strategic pivot. By shifting their prestigious prizes, the European Film Awards (EFA), from December to January (the 38th European Film Awards take place on Saturday in Berlin), they place European films directly in the global awards window, in the hope of capitalizing on the promotional machine that traditionally favors Hollywood.

Knol spoke to THR on the change in the strategic calendar, his hopes for a European star system and why (unlike, say, the Golden Globes) there will be a lot of politics on stage at this year’s EFAs.

What were the surprises for you this year in European cinema?

I’m not sure it was a real surprise, but it was very satisfying to see a very strong European cinema persist and very different from all regions of Europe, including newcomers. These films tell very relevant stories in a very unusual way, where I was like, “Wow, I didn’t know you could make a film about this.” ” Look Sirator look Falling soundwhich focuses on intergenerational trauma. This reinforced my conviction that European cinema is still very relevant and very alive.

You’ve moved rewards now to try to put them at the center of the rewards conversation. Did it surprise you that these arthouse films from Europe were suddenly at the center of discussions?

No, because that’s what I’ve seen over the last five or six years. There have always been two, three, even four films that have been very strong during the international awards season. This is one of the reasons why we moved into the middle of the attention to generate real interest from the public and Academy members. The talent is there – not just the directors and actors, but also the cinematographers, editors and everyone else essential to creating this strong cinema. There is an abundance of these people in Europe. There is a wealth that we have in Europe that we should not only be more proud of, but also use much more to our advantage in terms of visibility and, last but not least, generating greater public interest.

How do you try to bridge the gap between these films that are huge in our world, in the world of arthouse cinema, and the people on the street who don’t know the names?

Historically, there has been this gap. Changing the date makes it easier for us to use promotional channels to our advantage. We transformed “European Cinema Month” into “European Awards Season”, which spans two months. We carried out a pilot project this year with Yorck Cinemas in Berlin to screen the nominated films to the public. The cinemas were full and I think this is a concept that we could take to other cities as well. We even had programs in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong and Santiago de Chile, because many audiences outside Europe love European cinema.

Are you looking to make it a broader appeal to the general public as well as Academy members?

Yes. We already offer screenings specifically for members of the European Film Academy, and many of them overlap with those of AMPAS. But we also have a public mission: to reach the movie-loving public. We started this year with specific screenings of nominated films where everyone could come. Most of the audience was actually made up of Berliners who love European cinema and wanted to attend a special screening.

Is the competition for attention a challenge? It’s hard to find talent when they’re all traveling and promoting their films.

This is a real challenge for Europe. You can’t ask a rising actress to premiere her film in a 50-city lineup in three weeks. We need to come up with smart ideas and rethink the European celebrity system when it comes to art house films. We need to see how we can join forces with other partners to make cinema more attractive.

How can you work to create more of a European star system, as opposed to just a local and regional system?

The industry should sit down together and ask, “How can we solve this problem?” The star system no longer functions the same way it did 25 years ago. One thing the Academy can do is make the European Film Awards a true gathering of all those who have been the face of European cinema over the past year. We have almost 75 shortlisted titles, and many of them aren’t nominated, but there are some incredible acting performances. Why not bring these people to the ceremony a lot more and use this moment to really build their career?

How political do you think the ceremony will be this year?

The European Film Academy brings together a continent that has faced many difficulties in recent years. It is natural that the people on stage, seeing Europe before them, begin to talk about their worries, their hopes and their fears. We never told winners or presenters to stay away from topics. The Academy has always defended freedom of expression, human values ​​and the power of cinema to raise awareness.

Do you see a political threat to the institutions that support European cinema with the rise of the far right?

We should not take support for culture for granted. I think it’s a realization that has dawned on many people in the industry. The need is to really ensure that connections and mutual support remain strong, so that there is no isolation of individual players in the sector. Whatever happens in the next few years, we will simply be better prepared for it.

This interview has been edited for length and comprehension.