^{Credit: In Waves (Netflix), Iron Boy (Sony Pictures Classics), Lucy Lost (Xilam Animation), Jim Queen (Bobbypills uMedia), Viva Carmen (Folivari)}

Five animated films have been nominated at the 39th European Film Awards. In Waves, Iron Boy, Jim Queen, Lucy Lost, and Viva Carmen are up for Best Animated Feature Film. The five nominees were selected from an eight-film shortlist that included Decorado, Julián, and Monster Mia. The five animated nominees were also among the Best European Film lineup with ten live-action films. Iron Boy received an additional nomination for Best European Young Audience Award along with Hold Onto Me and I Matter. 

Check out all of the animation-related nominees below: 

Best European Film
Fatherland (Dir. Paweł Pawlikowski)
Fjord (Dir. Cristian Mungiu)
In Waves (Dir. Phuong Mai Nguyen)
Iron Boy (Dir. Louis Clichy)
Jim Queen (Dir. Marco Nguyen, Nicolas Athané)
La Bola Negra (Dir. Javier Calvo, Javier Ambrossi)
La Gradiva (Dir. Marine Atlan)
Letters From the Silenced Country (Dir. Andrei Kutsila)
Lucy Lost (Dir. Olivier Clert)
Naza (Dir. Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor)
Rehearsals for a Revolution (Dir. Pegah Ahangarani)
To Hold a Mountain (Dir. Biljana Tutorov, Petar Glomazić)
Viva Carmen (Dir. Sébastien Laudenbach)
Whispers in the Woods (Dir. Vincent Munier)
Woman Unknown (Dir. May el-Toukhy)

Best European Animated Film
In Waves (Dir. Phuong Mai Nguyen)
Iron Boy (Dir.  Louis Clichy)
Jim Queen (Dir. Marco Nguyen, Nicolas Athané)
Lucy Lost (Dir. Olivier Clert)
Viva Carmen (Dir. Sébastien Laudenbach)

European Young Audience Award 
Hold onto Me (Dir. Myrsini Aristidou)
I Matter (Dir. Alina Șerban)
Iron Boy (Dir. Louis Clichy)

Fatherland led the overall nominations with eleven, while La Bola Negra wasn’t far behind with ten. Fjord also received five nominations. At the 99th Academy Awards, Poland has submitted Fatherland, Spain has submitted La Bola Negra, and Romania has submitted Fjord for Best International Feature consideration. As for Best Animated Feature, In Waves is being distributed in the U.S. through Netflix while Sony Pictures Classics picked up Iron Boy, qualifying both for this year’s Oscar race. Magnolia Pictures recently announced it has acquired Jim Queen for a summer 2027 U.S. release. Lucy Lost has yet to debut in America following its Cannes premiere, while Viva Carmen was screened at Animation Is Film last month. 

The 39th European Film Awards will be held on January 16th, 2027.

Nick Spake is the Author of Bright & Shiny: A History of Animation at Award Shows Volumes 1, 2, and 3. Available Now!