15/12/2025 - Ten of the most promising up-and-coming actors and actresses from Europe have been selected to participate in special events at the upcoming Berlinale in February

European Film Promotion (EFP) has announced the ten emerging acting talents selected for the 29th edition of the European Shooting Stars. As part of the initiative, supported by Creative Europe – MEDIA programme of the European Union, the ten winners will be presented to the film industry, the international press and the public during the 76th Berlinale, running from 12 to 22 February 2026.

The selected talents will take part in a four-day programme during the festival, featuring networking sessions, industry meetings and press events, as well as a memorable red-carpet moment and the greeting of the group at the Berlinale Palast. The programme is designed to enhance their international visibility, connect them with key decision-makers and highlight their potential at a pivotal stage in their emerging careers.

“This is a truly remarkable group of talents, selected by our jury from an exceptionally strong field of nominees,” says Tina Hajon, the programme director of European Shooting Stars. “They represent some of the most exciting new voices Europe has to offer.” This year’s Shooting Stars were selected by an international jury consisting of Danish actress Danica Ćurčić, Bosnian film director and Academy Award winner Danis Tanović, Portuguese casting director Jo Monteiro, Belgian producer Jacques-Henri Bronckart, and British-Sudanese critic and writer Leila Latif (read news).

The European Shooting Stars 2026 are: Fatlume Bunjaku (Albania), Lucas Englander (Austria), Violet Braeckman (Belgium), Salif Cissé (France), Enno Trebs (Germany), Danielle Galligan (Ireland), Tecla Insolia (Italy), Joes Brauers (The Netherlands), Sofia Tjelta Sydness (Norway) and Cleo Diára (Portugal).

Kosovan-Albanian actress Fatlume Bunjaku has steadily built an impressive portfolio, from winning Best Actress at the Nine Eleven Film Festival to her striking turn in Hana. According to the five film experts of the jury, she “leaves an indelible mark on the viewer,” demonstrating a “commanding screen presence, complete with a striking emotional depth,” while they are excited “to see what she does next.”

Lucas Englander's versatility has been demonstrated in projects such as series Parlement [+see also:
trailer
interview: Benjamin Elalouf
series profile], Transatlantic and Nine Perfect Strangers, alongside Nicole Kidman, as well as the César best newcomer-shortlisted film Appearances [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]. The Austrian actor will next star in Adrian Goiginger’s Das Café ohne Namen. The jury highlights that Lucas “is exceptionally versatile and moves effortlessly between roles and languages with a real freedom, and impressive ability to transform.”

Belgian actress Violet Braeckman is shaping a strong presence in cinema, with roles in the upcoming films Heysel 85 by Teodora Ana Mihai, First Zone by Thom Lunshof and The Age of Magic by Peter Krüger, as well as the Netflix series The Twelve. Her parallel work curating artistic festivals further sharpens her instinct for character and storytelling. The jury commends her extraordinary performance in Heysel 85, where she “balances the conflict within beautifully, capturing your attention from the first moment. She is chameleonic, delivering with no restrictions,” and as the jury point out, “being a chameleon is the rarest talent you can find.”

French actor Salif Cissé received a César nomination for Most Promising Actor for All Hands on Deck [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Guillaume Brac
film profile]. He has since demonstrated an exceptional ability to blend humour and emotional weight in films such as Filmlovers! [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] and the series Lupin. as well as this year's Cannes entry Meteors [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Hubert Charuel and Claude L…
film profile], while also nurturing ambitions to move into directing. The jurors describe his performance in the latter as one that “evokes deep empathy, bringing warmth and a gentle power to this antihero”. They also highlight that he is “a pure charisma machine; you cannot help but be intrigued and charmed by him.”

German actor Enno Trebs began his career with a remarkable debut in Michael Haneke’s Palme d’Or–winning The White Ribbon [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Michael Haneke
film profile] and has since developed into one of Germany’s most intriguing young performers, frequently collaborating with Christian Petzold (in Undine [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Christian Petzold
film profile], Afire [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Christian Petzold
film profile] and Miroirs No. 3 [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Christian Petzold
film profile]). He now takes on a leading role in Nicolas Ehret’s upcoming Echo of Tomorrow’s War (2026). The jury observes an “intense, precise actor who combines a youthful energy with a distinct maturity,” noting in his latest performance “six levels of emotion that he is playing all at once. His balancing of kindness and brutality is astonishing, you believe in both.”

Following early appearances in Game of Thrones, Irish actress Danielle Galligan has become a compelling lead in series such as Shadow and Bone, Kin and most recently in The House of Guinness. Her acclaimed film performance in Lakelands earned her IFTA nominations for Best Lead Actress and Rising Star. According to the jury Danielle is “a charismatic, transformative talent,” highlighting in The House of Guinness that there is “something very classic about her, bringing a brittle element to her performance, with a fierce, humoristic, and playful demeanour that lights up every scene.”

The youngest of this year’s selection is Italian actress Tecla Insolia, who has already crafted an impressively promising career. She gained international attention as the protagonist of Valeria Golino’s The Art of Joy [+see also:
series review
series profile], which was followed by strong performances in Familia [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] and L'albero [+see also:
film review
film profile], as well as in Primavera [+see also:
film review
film profile]. The jury members admire the Italian actress for bringing “real force to intense roles, with a magnetism that commands the screen. She catches the light and projects power while also delivering nuance and fragility.”

Dutch actor Joes Brauers began acting at eight and has since built a remarkably diverse career, including roles in Quo vadis, Aida? [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jasmila Žbanić
film profile], Do Not Hesitate [+see also:
film review
interview: Shariff Korver
film profile] and Hardcore Never Dies. He next appears in Sander Burger’s upcoming Youri. The jury points to his “impressive physical transformation, shifting from hardened to gentle with ease,” and are convinced that he has the “gravitas and the ingredients to become a big movie star.”

Norwegian actress Sofia Tjelta Sydness first gained recognition through her standout performance in the series Delete Me, earning a Gullruten nomination. She has since appeared in Netflix’s Midsummer Night (2024), and will soon be seen on a key role in Ruben Östlund’s The Entertainment System is Down and Irasj Asanti's Fighter. The five film experts describe her as “fresh, direct and unpretentious,” praising her “vivid, precise screen presence.” Concluding that she is “talented, beautiful and bigger than life – what we are looking for in a European Shooting Star.”

Cape Verde-born and Lisbon-raised actress Cleo Diára's breakthrough came with I Only Rest in the Storm [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Pedro Pinho
film profile], which earned her the Un Certain Regard Best Performance award in Cannes. She also appears in cult favourite Diamantino [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Gabriel Abrantes, Daniel Sc…
film profile] and the upcoming series Lisbon Noir. The jury highlights her as “fierce and feminine,” and were fascinated by the fact that she is “natural and spontaneous, she has something about her that cannot be learned.”

Read more about each European Shooting Star and the full events programme here, and stay tuned to watch our interviews with all of them.