– A rich programme of initiatives, events, workshops and screenings will take place in the country before the ceremony, which is taking place in Southeastern Europe for the first time
The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, which will host the 2027 European Film Awards ceremony (© SNFCC/Yiorgis Yerolymbos)
Greece will host the 39th European Film Awards, a milestone moment for the country’s cinematic heritage. For the first time, the European Film Awards will take place in Southeastern Europe, in Athens, on 16 January 2027 in the Greek National Opera at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center.
Throughout 2026 and into 2027, a broad and carefully crafted programme of film events, initiatives, workshops, screenings, and creative dialogues will unfold across the country as well as at major international festivals abroad, building momentum toward the 39th European Film Awards ceremony. The programme is designed in collaboration with the Hellenic Film & Audiovisual Center (ΕΚΚΟΜΕD), that coordinates all activities with key cultural partners. The European Film Awards ceremony will be broadcast live across Europe in cooperation with Greek public broadcaster Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT).
Leonidas Christopoulos, CEO of EKKOMED, says: “The events all over Greece are being realised in close collaboration with the European Film Academy, reflecting a shared commitment to celebrating European cinema, artistic excellence, and cross-border cooperation.”
Matthijs Wouter Knol, CEO and Director of the European Film Academy, says: “Athens and Greece have long been a source of inspiration for European culture and storytelling. Bringing the European Film Awards to Southeastern Europe for the first time feels both meaningful and overdue. The year-long programme we are building together with Greek partners is not simply a countdown to a ceremony — it is an invitation to filmmakers, audiences, and cultural communities across Europe to connect, exchange, and celebrate what makes European cinema such a vital and living art form.”
The official announcement of the event was made earlier this year, during the Berlinale. Following that, a Documentary Think Tank at last week’s Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival and organised in collaboration with the Thessaloniki International Film Festival was the first event related to the Athens 2027 Awards that took place on Greek ground – the first of the year long programme. The think tank brought together voices from across Europe’s documentary landscape to help shape the vision and priorities of the European Film Academy’s Documentary Chapter, set to launch in 2027.
In the months leading up to the Awards, EKKOMED will bring a series of activities connected to the 39th European Film Awards 2027 across international festivals in which it participates, including at the festivals in Cannes and Venice. In the meantime, a rich programme of initiatives, events, workshops, and screenings will take place across Greece. Top international film festivals based in Greece, including the Thessaloniki International Film Festival (November 2026), the Drama International Short Film Festival (April & September 2026), the Animasyros International Animation Festival (September 2026 in Syros and Athens), and the Olympia International Film Festival for Children and Young People (December 2026 in Pyrgos and Amaliada), will spread the word across the country in the months ahead of the main event in January. Leading organisations based in Athens, such as the Greek Film Archive, the Athens International Film Festival – Premiere Nights, the Athens Film Office, the Michael Cacoyannis Foundation, the Panorama of European Cinema Festival, the Athens International Children’s Film Festival among others join forces to showcase various aspects of European cinema.
Lastly, the Hellenic Film Academy is curating a special programme, within the framework of a dedicated Memorandum of Cooperation and funding support provided by ΕΚΚΟΜΕD, highlighting the complex and fascinating relationship between Greek and European cinema. These activities will offer audiences across the country opportunities to engage with filmmakers, attend screenings, participate in discussions, and celebrate the creativity and diversity of European cinema.
