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European Film Academy To Honor Beki Probst, Marin Karmitz & Sandra den Hamer With New Community Award
The European Film Academy has named Beki Probst, Marin Karmitz and Sandra den Hamer as the first recipients of its new Community Award for contributions to European film culture. The award recognises sustained work that has helped develop and expand the culture, and will be presented in Athens on 15 January 2027, the night before the main European Film Awards ceremony.
Probst founded the Berlinale’s European Film Market in its modern form in 1988 and led it until 2014, after earlier work in arthouse cinema and film festivals. Karmitz founded the French independent film company mk2 and built a career as a producer, distributor and exhibitor, while den Hamer led Rotterdam’s film festival and Amsterdam’s film museum, now the Eye Filmmuseum. Their work spans film markets, cinema exhibition, production, distribution, festivals and preservation.
In short
- Three film industry figures will receive the Academy’s new Community Award.
- The presentation is scheduled for 15 January 2027 in Athens.
- Their contributions span film markets, cinemas, festivals and museums.
Explained simply
The European Film Academy, which presents Europe's main annual film awards, has created a new Community Award for people who have made lasting contributions to European film culture. This award honours sustained work across the different parts of the film industry, from festivals to production, distribution and preservation.
Beki Probst founded and directed the European Film Market at Berlin's Berlinale festival from 1988 to 2014, making it a significant gathering place for international film business. Marin Karmitz, a French producer, created the independent film company mk2, which became important in producing, distributing and showing films. Sandra den Hamer led the Rotterdam Film Festival and Amsterdam's Eye Filmmuseum, helping to promote cinema and preserve historic films.
These three recipients have worked across different sectors of European film, from industry festivals and markets to production companies, cinemas and preservation institutions. Their careers show how European cinema depends on contributions from many different areas of the industry.
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