Paolo Sorrentino’s “Youth” was named the best European film of 2015 at the European Film Awards on Saturday evening in Berlin.
The Fox Searchlight-distributed English-language film starring Michael Caine and Rachel Weisz won in a category that also included Oscar foreign-language entries “A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence,” “Mustang” and “Rams,” as well as the single-take “Victoria” and the English-language film “The Lobster.”
The acting awards went to Charlotte Rampling for “45 Years” and Caine for “Youth.” Both had already received a honorary lifetime-achievement awards on the show.
Sorrentino was named best director for “Youth.”
Roy Andersson’s deadpan, surreal “A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence” was named the best European comedy, while “Amy” was named best documentary.
The last three EFA best-picture winners, “Amour,” “The Great Beauty” and “Ida,” have gone on to win the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, something “Youth” cannot do.
Other winners in the last decade have included “The Lives of Others,” “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days,” “Gomorrah,” “The White Ribbon,” “The Ghost Writer” and “Melancholia.”
The awards are presented by the European Film Academy.
The winners:
European Film: “Youth,” Paolo Sorrentino
European Comedy: “A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence,” Roy Andersson
European Documentary: “Amy,” Asif Kapadia
European Director: Paolo Sorrentino, “Youth”
European Actress: Charlotte Rampling, “45 Years”
European Actor: Michael Caine, “Youth”
European Screenwriter: Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthymis Filippou, “The Lobster”
European Discovery – FIPRESCI Prize: “Mustang,” Deniz Gamze Ergüven
European Animated Feature Film: “Song of the Sea,” Tomm Moore
European Short: “Picnic”
People’s Choice Award: “Marshland”
Previously announced:
European Cinematographer: Martin Gschlacht, “Goodnight Mommy”
European Editing: Jacek Droslo, “Body”
European Production Designer: Sylvie Olivé, “The Brand New Testament”
European Costume Designer: Sarah Blenkinshop, “The Lobster”
European Music Composer: Cat’s Eyes, “The Duke of Burgundy”
European Sound Designer: Vasco Pimentel and Miguel Martins, “Arabian Nights Vols. I-III”
Honorary awards:
Achievement in World Cinema: Christoph Waltz
Honorary Award: Michael Caine
Lifetime Achievement Award: Charlotte Rampling
European Co-Production Award: Andrea Occhipinti