Filmmakers, artists, and cinema enthusiasts will be flocking to Athens early next year to attend the 39th European Film Awards set to take place on January 16, 2027 at the Greek National Opera in the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center.

This is the first time a country in Southeastern Europe will be hosting the event, the largest and most influential of its kind.

Ahead of the awards, Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni met with Academy Award-winning actress and European Film Academy President Juliette Binoche.

Mendoni and Binoche were hosted by Akis Sakellariou, president of the Thessaloniki Film Festival board, on occasion of the 28th Thessaloniki International Film Festival last month. Mendoni highlighted Greece’s efforts to strengthen domestic film and television production and attract international projects.

European Film Academy President and Academy Award winning actress Juliette Binoche met with Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni in Thessaloniki, Greece, ahead of the 39th European Film Awards to take place in Athens next year. Photo: Greek Culture Ministry

A program of events, workshops, and screenings is underway across Greece and at major international festivals to build momentum toward the 2027 ceremony. Coordinated by the Hellenic Film & Audiovisual Center (EKKOMED) in partnership with cultural organizations, the 39th European Film Awards will be broadcast live across Europe by the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT).

“The events all over Greece are being realized in close collaboration with the European Film Academy, reflecting a shared commitment to celebrating European cinema,” said Leonidas Christopoulos, CEO of EKKOMED.

Actions to showcase the richness and diversity of European cinema began with a Documentary Think Tank at last month’s Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival and will continue at major Greek festivals in Thessaloniki, Drama, Syros, and Olympia, as well as at festivals abroad.

“Athens and Greece have long been a source of inspiration for European culture and storytelling. Bringing the European Film Awards to Southeastern Europe for the first time feels both meaningful and overdue,” said Matthijs Wouter Knol, CEO and Director of the European Film Academy.