The 20^th annual of the European Academy Awards® held in Berlin announced the list of Awardees in a glittering event. Given the relative young history of the European Academy this Award has a less global prestige than the Annual American Oscars® Ceremony or that of other European Film Festivals such as the Berlin Bear, The Venice Lion D’Or or the French International Cannes film Festival Awards ( Palme d’Or, Prix du Jury, Prix du Festival) it is nevertheless influential in distinguishing the major European films and professionals by delivering a total 17 Silver Statuettes meant to offer a window on the best European Films and enhance cooperation between representatives of European Cinema.

In its recent past, the European Award has also been influential to some degree on the final decisions made by members of the  US Oscar® Academy in regard to Oscar® Nominations and Award recipients in Best Foreign Film Category. Last Year for instance the excellent German movie The Life of Others directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck was awarded at the European Awards in three categories for Best Film, Best Actor (given to the late actor Ulrich Mühe) and Best Direction. The movie was also to be Awarded the 2007 Oscar for Best Foreign Film. Where as in 2006 Pedro Aldomovar who was Awarded For the Best Screenplay at Cannes and whose Actress Penelope Cruz was Awarded Best Actress within a Collective female ensemble Cast was only nominated at the Oscars® of 2007 which Went to Hellen Mirren for her role in The Queen. The Latter was also awarded the Best Actress Statue during this year’s European Awards®. You may probably ask why ? And the answer is that the Timing of the European Academy Awards happens to be late in the year as opposed to the American Oscars® held in early February of the same year. As a Result the upcoming Oscars® of 2008 will not necessarily award or nominate films that have been considered in 2007. This can be a happy or unfortunate coincidence given the Timings between the two Award ceremonies and can send paradoxical messages to the US Oscar Academy for its nomination list that are officially announced in the following month of January before the actual ceremony due in February. That said, an Award is an Award and hence the Winner deserves the Applause regardless of one’s personal preferences.

This year’s European Academy Awards® in Best film and Best direction went to the Rumanian film 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days that made headlines last summer for winning the Palm d’Or for its director Cristian Mungiu. Unfortunately The two French films running for Best film that is Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Parronaud’s animated film Persepolis (which won the Jury Prize in Cannes) and Olivier Dahan’s La Môme a Bio Epic about French Diva Edith Piaf Starring Marillon Cotillard failed to win any Award at this year’s ceremony despite great international reviews and box office success. It should be added that Persepolis is also running for Best foreign film at the upcoming Oscars® along with other contenders from 63 countries including Rumania’s Palme D’Or  4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days . As for La Môme’s Star Marillon Cotillard she is considered as contender for Best Actress at the Upcoming Oscars®. This is one of the other paradoxes that can appear during the Oscar Ceremonies where the cast and crew in a Foreign film can also be awarded an Oscar® in different categories including Best Actress or Actor while the film itself may not represent her or his country in Best Foreign Film Category.

Israeli actor Sasson Gabai was Awarded Best Actor Award for his role in Eran Kolirin’s The Bands Visit.