Search

    Revamped Academy Board includes 8 new members, North- and Southeastern Europe double seats

    68% of the Board members are women

    The elections for the Board of the European Film Academy have led to 8 new incoming members. Three incumbent Board members who put themselves forward for a new mandate, have been re-elected. Mike Downey (Ireland/UK) will continue as Chair of the Board, with Joanna Szymańska (Poland) now joining Ada Solomon (Romania) as Deputy Chair.The Board of the European Film Academy counts 16 members representing 15 regions, one seat represents transnational populations in Europe, such as Sámi and Roma filmmakers. The Chair and Deputy Chairs do not represent a region. With the newly elected Board members taking up their mandate from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2025, the Board membership represents more countries in Northeastern and Southeastern Europe. Northwestern Europe remains well represented with 6 Board members, Southwestern Europe is represented by 2 Board members. Northeastern and Southeastern European regions are now represented by 6 Board members. The seat representing members from transnational populations has been dedicated to Sámi filmmakers in 2024-2025, followed by Romani filmmakers for 2026-2027. This way, traditionally underrepresented groups in the industry, who live in a larger number of European countries, will have a voice in the Academy’s strategy and decision-making.The previous Board has unanimously decided to change the representation structure of the Board in June 2023, with a more fair division of seats as its main goal. Without significant changes in the representation structure since the late 1990s, European realities have changed. In previous decades, all 29 Northeastern and Southeastern countries were often represented by a mere 3 Board members, whereas all Western countries were represented by 12 Board members. This has now been corrected by the last elections.

    Representation of the region for Board members is meant to be the active participation of someone from the region in the procedures and democratic voting procedures of the European Film Academy. The Board members are not supposed to favour films from their region when deciding about the annual Academy Selection. The Academy Selection is the base for the members to vote for the nominations.The Roles and responsibilities of Board members of the European Film Academy have been agreed on by the incumbent Board. Candidates for the Board elections have to comply with these in order to be eligible, according to international good governance standards and in order to guarantee transparency about the procedures of decision-making within the Academy.

    The Board of the European Film Academy meets 3 times per year for a formal Board meeting.The new members of the Academy Board are

    Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia
    Daniel Hočevar (Slovenia)

    Andorra, Portugal, Spain
    Paz Lázaro Barquilla (Spain)Armenia, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece, IsraelGiorgos Karnavas (Greece)

    Azerbaijan, Palestine, TurkeyBaşak Emre (Turkey)Bulgaria, Moldova, RomaniaMira Staleva (Bulgaria)Czech Republic, Hungary, SlovakiaHanka Kastelicová (Czech Republic)Denmark, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, SwedenTine Klint (Denmark)Estonia, Latvia, LithuaniaMarija Razgutė (Lithuania)

    Transnational ethnic representation (Sámi and Roma populations of Europe)Anne-Lajla Utsi (Sápmi/Norway)

    The following incumbent Board members continue their mandate until 31 December 2024:Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, SwitzerlandBettina Brokemper (Germany) and Nina Hoss (Germany)(only one seat for this region will be available as of 1 January 2025)

    Poland, UkraineDenis Ivanov (Ukraine)France, MonacoChristophe Leparc (France)Italy, San Marino, Vatican CityMaria Nevina Satta (Italy)Belgium, Luxembourg, NetherlandsLeontine Petit (Netherlands)

    Ireland, United KingdomJim Sheridan (Ireland)Belarus, Kazakhstan, RussiaBoard member will be elected before 1 January 2025

    Honorary members of the Board are István Szabó (Hungary) and Sir Ben Kingsley (UK).

    The President of the European Film Academy is Agnieszka Holland, which is a honorary and symbolic role traditionally given to an outstanding senior European filmmaker. Ingmar Bergman was the first President since the founding years of the European Film Academy (1989-1996), followed by Wim Wenders (2006-2020). The President of the Academy is not a member of the Board.

    The CEO and Director of the European Film Academy is in charge of all operations of the organization, develops its long-term strategies, and is responsible for all programmes, partnerships and projects the Academy carries out. The Director is hired by and reports to the Board.