
The European Film Awards 2020 go to Reykjavík
The European Film Awards will be held in the Icelandic capital in December 2020. This was announced earlier this week by the European Film Academy, the City of Reykjavík and the Icelandic government. The ceremony will take place in the Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre, together with various side events in connection with European film production.
Meet in Reykjavík participated in the bidding process with other stakeholders from both the public and private sectors in Iceland. Reykjavík competed against two other European cities for the event.
The European Film Awards (EFAs) were first presented in Berlin in 1988, in order to promote and support the European film industry. They are held every second year in Berlin and travel throughout Europe in the other years: London, Paris, Rome, Barcelona, Warsaw, Copenhagen, Tallinn, Malta, Riga, Wroclaw and, last year, Seville. Wherever they go, the EFAs attract many foreign visitors such as film professionals, EFA members, nominees and winners and international journalists.
This provides a great opportunity for Reykjavík to promote Icelandic art, culture and design, as well as markets Iceland as a preferred destination for film production. It is an important recognition of the Icelandic film industry and presents Reykjavík as an interesting travel and filmmaking destination.
Harpa Conference and Concert Hall is one of Reykjavík’s greatest and most distinguished landmarks. Designed by Olafur Eliasson, Henning Larsen Architects and Batteríið Architects, it is a cultural and social centre in the heart of the city and features stunning views of the surrounding mountains and the North Atlantic Ocean. It is expected that around 1,400 guests will attend the award ceremony, which will also be transmitted live both in Iceland and throughout Europe.