The European Film Academy has appointed the first-ever Chapter Principals across its eight professional member chapters, marking a new step in its efforts to strengthen the representation of the various crafts shaping European cinema.

The honorary roles, announced on 6 May in Berlin, have been assigned to prominent industry figures from across Europe, each representing one of the Academy’s chapters dedicated to casting directors, cinematographers, composers, costume designers, editors, make-up and hair artists, production designers and sound designers.

The newly appointed Chapter Principals are German casting director Nina Haun, Dutch cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema, Polish composer Zbigniew Preisner, Belgian costume designer Pascaline Chavanne, Greek editor Yorgos Mavropsaridis, Polish make-up artist Waldemar Pokromski, Spanish production designer Antxón Gómez Santander and British sound designer Tarn Willers.

According to the Academy, the Chapter Principals will serve as ambassadors and figureheads for their respective disciplines, helping to foster connections between members, increase the visibility of their craft and support the development of the European film community. The positions are honorary and voluntary, recognising artistic achievement and international standing within the industry.

Among the appointees are several Academy Award winners and long-time collaborators of some of Europe’s most celebrated filmmakers. Van Hoytema won the Oscar for Oppenheimer after previously collaborating with Christopher Nolan on titles including Interstellar and Dunkirk, while Preisner is internationally recognised for his work with Krzysztof Kieślowski on the Three Colours: Blue trilogy and other landmark productions. Chavanne is known for her long-standing collaboration with François Ozon, and Mavropsaridis has edited many of Yorgos Lanthimos’s films, including The Favourite and Poor Things.

In a statement, Academy CEO and Director Matthijs Wouter Knol described the appointments as “a natural and important next step” following the launch of the chapter structure in 2025. He added that the Academy aims to “give greater visibility and recognition to the many disciplines that shape European films every year” and to create “new opportunities for dialogue and collaboration across Europe”.

The initiative builds on the Academy’s recent transition to a chapter-led nomination process for the European Film Awards, introduced in 2025 to involve members more directly in selecting nominees within their respective professional fields. The Academy also indicated that additional chapters may be introduced in the coming years as the organisation continues to expand.