The red carpet / Steve McQueen and his partner, Bianca Stigter, arrive at the Latvian National Opera

While European media representatives from 30 countries installed themselves in the press centre, film fans waited outside the impressive red carpet tent in front of the Latvian National Opera for the arrival of the stars.


Thomas Hermanns welcomes the audience

On a stage with a gigantic projection flower installation bathed in spheric lights, host Thomas Hermanns welcomed the 1,000 guests at Riga's Latvian National Opera to the 27th European Film Awards. The German TV host, author and director introduced himself as an openly gay German comedian and promised full-service hosting which included a baggage check at the entrance, the serving of drinks to guests on the balcony and in front of the stage and an impressive dance number with Swedish actor Johannes Kuhnke.


Thomas Hermanns and Johannes Kuhnke / The moment of truth for IDA / The audience

EFA President Wim Wenders held a speech honouring Steve McQueen, recipient of the award European Achievement in World Cinema, as a man who "with only three films has already become legendary". EFA Chairwoman Agnieszka Holland held the laudatory speech for Agnès Varda, recipient of the EFA Lifetime Achievement Award. To standing ovations, the French director "Oh, lala" begged the audience to sit down and expressed her joy at receiving the award. "More women should be chosen," she said.

It certainly was IDA's night: Paweł Pawlikowski's black-and-white drama received a total of five awards, EUROPEAN FILM 2014, EUROPEAN DIRECTOR 2014 (Paweł Pawlikowski), EUROPEAN SCREENWRITER 2014 (Paweł Pawlikowski & Rebecca Lenkiewicz), EUROPEAN CINEMATOGRAPHER 2014 – Prix CARLO DI PALMA (Łukasz Żal & Ryszard Lenczewski) and the PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD 2014 for Best European Film. 

Winners and presenters on stage, IDA (winner of five European Film Awards)

The EFA After Show Party took place at the Latvian Society House. On three levels, guests could choose whether to have their upside-down picture taken, enjoying a cup of coffee, chocolates and desserts at the Laima Café, squeeze into a photo booth or try a Jägermeister cocktail creation at the bar, taste some regional specialties at the Riga 2014 Forest Café, dine under a magical roof of branches – or simply dance the EFA Night away on one of the two dancefloors!

Congratulations to all the winners of the 27th European Film Awards! To review the complete list, please go to europeanfilmawards.eu /EFA Night /Winners

The EFA Souvenir Progamme is available online – please share!

THANK YOU to everyone who was part of the 27th European Film Awards: whether you suppported us on stage or backstage, followed the ceremony from inside the opera hall, in the press centre, watched the TV broadcasts in over 30 territories, the live stream, facebook posts or tweets@EuroFilmAwards – Thank you all for your support!

See you in Berlin, 12 December 2015!