Big news for the Icelandic film industry! Recently, the European Film Academy, City of Reykjavík and Icelandic government announced that Reykjavík will have the honor of hosting the European Film Awards (EFAs) in December 2020. The ceremony will take place at the Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Center, and will be accompanied by several additional events highlighting European film production. One of Reykjavík’s most celebrated landmarks, the Harpa serves as a cultural focal point in the heart of Reykjavík, and will provide guests with panoramic views of Iceland’s breathtaking landscape.
First presented in Berlin in 1988, the EFAs are held annually to recognize and promote the European film industry. The ceremony takes place in Berlin every second year, and travels throughout Europe during the other years. It is expected that over 1,400 guests will attend the 2020 ceremony, including film professionals, EFA Members, nominees and winners, and international journalists.
Hosting the EFAs will provide Reykjavík with the opportunity to promote Icelandic art and culture, and will garner quite a bit of recognition for the Icelandic film industry.
Previously, three Icelanders have been the recipients of the prestigious European Film Awards. In 1991, Composer Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson was recognized for his music in the film Children Of Nature by Friðrik Þór Friðriksson. In 2000, Björk Guðmundsdóttir received two awards: European Actress and the People’s Choice Award in Lars von Trier’s Dancer In The Dark. The People’s Choice Award was also given to Ingvar E. Sigurðsson in Angels Of The Universe. The most recent recipient was Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson in 2017, who was given the European University Film Award for his film Heartstone, after a vote from film students from across Europe.
For those who will be unable to attend the ceremony in person, it will be transmitted live in Iceland and throughout Europe. Visit the European Film Awards website for more information about past years’ ceremonies and winners!
Do you have a favorite Icelandic film? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!
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