LUX Audience Award 2025: the five finalist films revealed

Animal, Dahomey, Flow, Intercepted, and Julie Keeps Quiet have been shortlisted for the 2025 Lux European Audience Film Award.

The five shortlisted films were announced on Wednesday by the European Parliament first vice-president Sabine Verheyen (EPP, DE), and the chair of the Committee on Culture and Education Nela Riehl (Greens, EFA, DE). The announcement event took place for the first time at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

Following the announcement, vice-president Verheyen said: "European cinema reflects the challenges and hopes of our society. This year's finalists, each in their distinct form, showcase the rich variety of the film world. They offer powerful perspectives on pressing issues such as women's rights, climate change, our history and the war in Ukraine. They pen up important conversations and inviting us to see the world through diverse lenses."

Committee chair Nela Riehl said: “Film is a medium of expression that transcends spatial, economic and social divides. Film is for everyone. It is a unique form of expression that uses emotion, narrative and wit to convey deeper, more commonly felt meanings that we can all relate to. That is what makes the LUX Awards fascinating – they show us a mirrored version of our diverse lives. I am happy to see that this year, again, people all over Europe will get to enjoy this wonderful art.”

Discover the films

Animal, by Greek director Sofia Exarchou, looks at the unseen side of the tourist entertainment industry through the daily lives routine of the people that work in it. In an all-inclusive island resort during high season, entertainment staff work relentlessly and endure demanding working hours, while showing a brave face.

Dahomey, by French director Mati Diop, is a documentary about the return of 26 royal treasures of the Kingdom of Dahomey, nearly 130 years after they were stolen by French colonial troops, to the Republic of Benin. Students of the University of Abomey-Calavi debate what attitude to adopt to this homecoming.

Flow, by Latvian director Gints Zilbalodis, is an animated feature about a hero, Cat, who finds refuge on a boat with other animals, despite his solitary character. Set in a post-apocalyptic setting, Cat and his companions will have to team up despite their differences. Together, they will sail through mystical flooded landscapes and navigate the challenges and dangers of adapting to a new world.

Intercepted, by Ukrainian-Canadian director Oksana Karpovych, is a documentary about the destruction caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the lives of those who resist and rebuild the country. Intercepted phone conversations between Russian soldiers and their families and friends in Russia, by Ukrainian intelligence services, reveal the cruelty and the dehumanising power of war.

Julie Keeps Quiet, by Belgian director Leonardo van Dijl, is a drama about a star tennis player, whose life revolves around the game. When her coach falls under investigation for abusing his position and is suddenly suspended, the club's players are encouraged to speak up. However, Julie decides to keep quiet.

Next steps

The winner of the LUX Audience Award is chosen jointly by citizens across the EU and by MEPs. A platform to rate the nominated films will be open from 18 September until April 2025. The winner will be announced in April 2025 at a ceremony in the European Parliament in Brussels, in the presence of the representatives of the finalist films.

Between September 2024 and April 2025, screenings and debates about the films will be organised by the Parliament together with MEPs.

Background

Since 2020, the LUX Audience Award has been awarded by the European Parliament and the European Film Academy, in partnership with the European Commission and the Europa Cinemas network. It 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, poverty, climate change, freedom of expression, gender equality, LGBTIQ+ rights.

During the competition period, the European Parliament organises free screenings across the 27 Member States for the five nominated films that were selected by a panel of film professionals from across the EU. In the 2024 edition of the Award, more than 700 screenings of the shortlisted films were organised, with debates involving more than 70,000 audience members.

The Award is complemented by the Young Talent Programme, which was launched on 16 September 2024, to engage young cinema professionals in the promotion of European values and the LUX Audience Award project.