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Press release
29-09-2025
2026 LUX Audience Award: announcement of shortlisted films [4]
The five finalists for the 2026 LUX European Audience Film Award will be unveiled at a press conference at the European Parliament on Tuesday, 7 October 2025.
First Vice-President of the Parliament Sabine Verheyen [5] (EPP, DE) and Chair of the Committee on Culture and Education Nela Riehl [6] (Greens/EFA, DE), in the presence of the representatives (directors, producers, actors) of the films, will announce the shortlisted candidates for the LUX Audience Award at a press conference on 7 October 2025.
When:* Tuesday 7 October 2025 at 15.00
Where:* European Parliament, Strasbourg, Daphne Caruana Galizia press conference room (WEISS N -1/201)
Interpretation will be provided in English, French, and German.
Accredited media representatives can attend the press conference in person. Journalists wishing to ask questions remotely can connect via Interactio [7] . The press conference will also be web streamed live [8] and recorded on the Parliament’s Multimedia Centre [9] .
Apply for individual interviews*
Your interview slot will be confirmed by Friday 3 October
Invitation to the launch event *
Journalists are kindly invited to attend the launch event [11], featuring the participation of the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, Vice-President Sabine Verheyen, Chair of the Committee on Culture and Education Nela Riehl, the mayor of Strasbourg Jeanne Barseghian, and the chair of the European Film Academy, Mike Downey.
When*: Tuesday 7 October 2025, 18.00-20.00
Where*: European Parliament, La Rotonde (CHURCHILL -01)
Accessibility*
For the first time, all the shortlisted films will be subtitled for deaf people, in the spirit of full compromise with accessibility.
The selection process*
The five nominated films for the LUX Audience Award are chosen by a panel of film professionals [12] from across EU member states.
The nominated films will be screened in cinemas across the EU and rated by citizens and MEPs [13] . The votes of MEPs and the results of the public ratings will be weighed equally in deciding the final winner.
Background*
More than 900 screenings of the shortlisted films were organised in EU countries for the 2025 edition of the Award, with debates involving more than 90,000 audience members.
Since 2020, citizens across the EU and MEPs have jointly chosen the winner of the LUX Audience Award, presented annually by the European Parliament and the European Film Academy, in partnership with the European Commission and the Europa Cinemas network.
The LUX Audience Award fosters dialogue and engagement between politics and the public through the medium of film.
The nominated films address European values and raise awareness about some of today’s main social and political issues such as mental health in youth, education, child protection, rights of persons with disabilities, inclusion, justice, torture, authoritarianism, LGBTQ+ rights, gender identity, family structures, cultural heritage, family history and identity.
Information for the media – Use Interactio to ask questions*
To have an opportunity to ask questions remotely during the press conference, please connect via Interactio at this link https://ep.interactio.eu/uw5m-71vf-mi2k [14] .
Interactio is only supported on iPad (with the Safari browser) and Mac/Windows (with the Google Chrome browser). When connecting, enter your name and the media you are representing in the first name / last name fields. For better sound quality, use headphones and a microphone. Interpretation is only possible for interventions with video.
Journalists who have never used Interactio before are asked to connect 30 minutes before the start of the press event to perform a connection test.
Further information
[15] scribo-webmail-arrow [30]
Free photo, video and audio material: LUX European Audience Film Award 2026
[16] scribo-webmail-arrow [31]
Photoset: LUX Audience Award 2026 – panel selection
[17] scribo-webmail-arrow [32]
LUX European Audience Film Award website
[18] scribo-webmail-arrow [33]
Committee on Culture and Education
[19] scribo-webmail-arrow [34]
European Film Academy
Raquel Ramalho LOPES
Press officer
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EPCulture [22]
Eliana CAPRETTI
Audiovisual Press Officer
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