22/11/2021 - Cineuropa will also host the live streaming of the ceremony, which will take place on 11 December in Berlin but with on-site participation limited to nominees and award recipients

The 34th European Film Awards will take place as a live ceremony, broadcast and streamed from Berlin, on Saturday, 11 December 2021. It will not include the usual audience of academy members, partners and guests from the film industry, and will not be attended by the international media. Participation will be limited to nominees and award recipients.

The decision acknowledges the deteriorating situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic in an increasing number of European countries, and in Germany. The pandemic will affect all events usually taking place during the awards weekend. The ceremony will again be broadcast and streamed live on the awards' web, as well as here, on Cineuropa, press partner of the awards.

Matthijs Wouter Knol, CEO and Director of the European Film Academy, says: “This is much to our regret, and we realise that it must come as a huge disappointment to many in Europe. And we, too, are very disappointed. But confronted with the responsibility for such an event, we don’t see another choice. The risk would simply be too high. We will now continue to put all our efforts into making this a special event – for those who can attend and for those who will follow us from elsewhere.”

The awarding procedures remain unaffected by this, i.e. most awards are currently voted for directly by the over 4,100 members of the European Film Academy.

As a reminder, the awards ceremony will also host for the second time the announcement of the three nominees for the LUX Audience Award, the pan-European Audience Award created by the European Parliament and the European Film Academy that will be voted on by audiences across Europe.