The European Film Academy (EFA) is taking steps to improve regional and ethnic diversity within its management structure by restructuring its board membership. As of 2024, each of the 15 EFA board members will be selected from 15 distinct geographical or linguistic regions in Europe, encompassing different countries. Additionally, a board seat will be reserved for a transnational ethnic representative from either the Sámi or Roma populations in Europe, with the first mandate for this seat being held by a member elected from the Sámi population.
Aside from these region-based positions, the remaining three board members, including the chair and two deputy chairs, will not be chosen based on their region of origin. These changes were unanimously voted through and will be implemented in the upcoming EFA elections in 2023 and 2024. Members of the European Film Academy can nominate themselves as candidates for the region in which they reside and work. Board members are then elected by all registered voting members of the European Film Academy.
The restructuring will take place in two stages. The first stage is a six-week self-nomination period, set to begin in mid-August. During this period, members can put forward their own nominations for the board positions representing their respective regions. The second stage involves the board elections, which will occur in October and last for an additional six weeks. The new board members will be announced during the Academy’s general assembly in early December, and they will assume their mandates in January. The current board members, who were elected in December of the previous year, will continue to serve until the end of their mandates in late 2024.
According to Mike Downey, the Chair of the EFA, these changes aim to create a more diverse and democratically representative board that can better serve the European Film Academy and provide a voice for territories that have been marginalized or sidelined due to their geopolitical location. The goal is to update the Academy’s structure to align with contemporary best practices and ensure that it remains inclusive and fit for purpose in the years to come.
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The 15 regions from which board members will be selected are as follows:
1. Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia
2. Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein (as of 2025, after current mandates end)
3. Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia (as of 2025)
4. Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands
5. France, Monaco
6. Ireland, UK
7. Italy, Malta, San Marino
8. Poland, Ukraine
9. Andorra, Portugal, Spain
10. Turkey, Azerbaijan, Palestine
11. Bulgaria, Moldova, Romania
12. Armenia, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece, Israel
13. Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia
14. Denmark, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden
15. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania
The decision to implement this structural change comes after careful consideration and a desire to reflect the reality of Europe today. Currently, board members from Western European countries are over-represented compared to their counterparts from Eastern and Southeastern Europe. At present, 25% of the board members represent Eastern and Southeastern European countries. However, with the restructuring, these regional groups will account for 50% of all board seats.
The European Film Academy, established in 1989, represents filmmakers from 52 European countries as well as Israel and Palestine. This restructuring initiative will help to ensure that the Academy’s leadership reflects the diversity and richness of European cinema, fostering a more inclusive and representative organization.
