ALL THE WORLD WAS A STAGE AT HARPA CONFERENCE AND CONCERT HALL , WHICH HOSTED THE LONG-AWAITED IN-PERSON RETURN OF THE EUROPEAN FILM AWARDS IN DECEMBER 2022 .

fter two years fraught by the pandemic , 10 December 2022 saw the 35th edition of the European Film Awards take place in Iceland ’ s capital city , Reykjavík . While the ceremony was taking place at Harpa Conference and Concert Hall , the city staged several related activities .

The 35th European Film Awards ceremony For Reykjavík , a modern city steeped in history and surrounded by unique nature , the European Film Awards offered an opportunity to promote Icelandic art , culture , and design . It also marketed Iceland as a destination for film productions – having already seen the likes of James Bond , Star Wars , and Game of Thrones .

For the organisers of the event , the fact that the awards were be held in Reykjavík was an important recognition for the flourishing Icelandic film industry , adding to the island ’ s travel allure .

The European Film Forest To mark the European Film Awards , an ‘ EFA forest ’ of 3,750 trees was planted in the nearby Heiðmörk Nature Reserve in July 2020 by the Reykjavík Forest Association and the Icelandic film community . The project initially aimed to offset the carbon emissions from business travel and has , to date , seen over

3,000 trees planted with the help of its Icelandic partners and Academy members .

Roll out the green carpet During the awards , Harpa exhibited the Art Carpet : a sustainable installation made from local products and materials collected from local stores ( to reduce its carbon footprint ). The installation was created by Icelandic artists Tanja Levý and Lilý Erla Adamsdóttir , and US-Canadian artist Sean O ’ Brien . The carpet was designed to live a long life – not to be a single-use product .

The Art Carpet was inspired by Iceland ’ s unique landscape , such as its lava fields covered with woolly fringe moss . The artists put emphasis on capturing the surroundings ’ otherworldly elements with a variety of methods such as tufting Icelandic wool , using geotextiles and sawdust , and collaborating with local perfumery Fischersund on a themed perfume .

Postponing from 2020 Originally , Reykjavík was to host the 33rd European Film Awards in 2020 . However , the European Film Academy ( EFA ) and Reykjavík ’ s government agreed to postpone due to the Covid-19 pandemic . In 2020 and 2021 , the award ceremony took place virtually in Berlin . Previous hosts have included Seville , London , Paris , Rome , Barcelona , and other European cities .

The guest list The 644 international guests who filled Harpa ’ s auditorium were :

• 241 filmmakers

• 235 Academy members and associates

• 113 partner film institutions and sponsors

• 11 were from international and

Above : The European Film Awards ceremony

Right : The Art Carpet

Icelandic political delegations

• 44 media representatives and influencers

In addition , over 225 film industry companies ( e . g ., production , sales and distribution companies , festivals , institutions , and media outlets ) were represented , mainly by their managing or artistic directors , head of departments and / or producers .

Tackling the pandemic Harpa reported that there was certainly plenty of enthusiasm in the lead up to the ceremony ’ s in-person return . Considering the flourishing Icelandic creative and cultural scene and dramatic landscape , delegates seemed ready to be inspired , engage and collaborate .

Improving on delegates ’ enthusiasm to attend , no hinderances were caused by recent fluxes in Covid-19 restrictions .