European Film Academy Unveils Revamped Geographically Diverse Board With First Sámi Representation

Melanie Goodfellow
·3 min read

The European Film Academy has unveiled its new board which has been voted in under updated guidelines aimed at ensuring a more balanced geographical representation of its members.

Three incumbent board members have been re-elected for a fresh two-year term running from 2024-25. Mike Downey (Ireland/UK) will continue as chair of the board with Joanna Szymańska (Poland) joining Ada Solomon (Romania) as Deputy Chair.

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Another eight new members have been voted in for the next two years, while a further six incumbent members will continue their mandate until the end of 2024.

The new structure has increased board representation of members in countries in Northeastern and Southeastern Europe such as Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia.

A new seat representing members from transnational populations is dedicated to Sámi filmmakers from 2024-2025, followed by Romani filmmakers for 2026-2027.

Anne-Lajla Utsi (Sápmi/Norway), who is head of the Norway-based Sami International Film Institute, is the first person to take up the seat.

The new board of the European Film Academy is the most representative board in our history,” said Downey.

The restructuring was announced last June but only acted on now with the elections for the new board period.

“We decided that representatives will be chosen from 15 regions in Europe. The defined regions, each comprising different countries, reflect the realities of modern Europe and give a fairer and more equal distribution of voices from all over Europe within the board,” explained Downey.

He said the aim was to give a stronger voice to territories that had been marginalized or side-lined in the past by dint of their geographical location

“In making these changes we will now rectify and recalibrate and the Academy will emerge stronger, more inclusive and fit for purpose for 2024 and years to come.”

The new board members include producer Giorgos Karnavas at Athens-Based Heretic, who will represent Armenia, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece, Israel, as well as Tine Klint, founding head of Danish sales company LevelK, for Denmark, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

A representative for Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia is due to be elected before January 1, 2025.

Honorary members of the Board are István Szabó (Hungary) and Ben Kingsley (UK).

Polish director Agnieszka Holland is currently EFA President which is a honorary role given to an outstanding senior European filmmaker.

She follows in the footsteps of Ingmar Bergman (1989-1996) and Wim Wenders (2006-2020). The President of the Academy is not a member of the board.

Launched in 1989, Berlin-based EFA has 4,600 film professional members hailing from “geographical Europe” as well as Israel, Palestine and Russia. The body organizes the annual European Film Awards and also runs a variety of initiatives in support of European cinema throughout the year.

EFA CEO and director Matthijs Wouter Knol, who was hired by and reports to the board, continues in his role unchanged.

The full list of EFA board members for 2024 to 2025

New board members

Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia
Daniel Hočevar (Slovenia)

Andorra, Portugal, Spain
Paz Lázaro Barquilla (Spain)

Armenia, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece, Israel
Giorgos Karnavas (Greece)

Azerbaijan, Palestine, Turkey
Başak Emre (Turkey)

Bulgaria, Moldova, Romania
Mira Staleva (Bulgaria)

Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia
Hanka Kastelicová (Czech Republic)

Denmark, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden
Tine Klint (Denmark)

Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania
Marija Razgutė (Lithuania)

Transnational ethnic representation (Sámi and Roma populations of Europe)
Anne-Lajla Utsi (Sápmi/Norway)

Incumbent Board members who continue their mandate until 31 December 2024

Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, Switzerland
Bettina Brokemper (Germany) and Nina Hoss (Germany)
Only one seat for this region will be available as of 1 January 2025)

Poland, Ukraine
Denis Ivanov (Ukraine)

France, Monaco
Christophe Leparc (France)

Italy, San Marino, Vatican City
Maria Nevina Satta (Italy)

Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands
Leontine Petit (Netherlands)

Ireland, United Kingdom
Jim Sheridan (Ireland)

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