19th European Film Awards

The 19th European Film Awards was presented on 2 December 2006. For the first time the ceremony was held in Warsaw. The event was hosted by French actress Sophie Marceau and her Polish counterpart Maciej Stuhr.

As the best European film, the six- nominated German production was able to prevail The Lives of Others by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck. The Stasi drama with Ulrich Mühe, Sebastian Koch and Martina Gedeck in the lead roles also received the awards in the categories Best Actor ( Ulrich Mühe ) and Best Screenplay. The also counted one of the favorites film Volver - Return of the Spaniard Pedro Almodóvar was able to put four of his six nominations in wins, including director Almodovar and actress Penelope Cruz, who won awards at the film festivals of Cannes, together with the rest of the female ensemble cast in Volver as Best Actresses had been. The losers came from Ken Loach's The Wind That war drama Shakes the Barley, which won the prize for Best Cinematography ex aequo shared with Volver. The winner of the Golden Palm in Cannes had gone into the race with five nominations. Unprämiert remained the on the Film Festival of Berlin winning drama Esma's Secret - Grbavica, Neil Jordan's thriller Breakfast on Pluto and the documentary -style feature film The Road to Guantanamo by Michael Winterbottom and Mat Whitecross, who received two nominations in advance.

Even before the award ceremony some winners had stood firm, including the Polish Academy Award winner Roman Polanski. The film director, actor and screenwriter, who was honored in 1999 for his horror film The Ninth Gate with the award for a European contribution to world cinema, received the award for his life's work.

Winners and nominations

Best European film

The Lives of Others - Director: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

Best Director

Pedro Almodóvar - Volver - Return ( Volver )

Best Actor

Ulrich Mühe - The Lives of Others

Best Actress

Penelope Cruz - Volver - Return ( Volver )

Best Screenplay

Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck - The Lives of Others

Best Camera

Barry Ackroyd - The Wind That Shakes the Barley José Luis Alcaine - Volver - Return ( Volver )

Best Original Score

Alberto Iglesias - Volver - Return ( Volver )

Best Newcomer Film

13 Tzameti - Gela Babluani

Best Documentary ( Prix Arte )

Into Great Silence - Director: Philip Gröning

Best Short Film ( Prix UIP)

Before Dawn - Director: Bálint Kenyeres ( Prix UIP Tampere )

Best artistic contribution

Pierre Pell and Stephane Rozenbaum ( Production Designer ) - Science of Sleep - How to Dream ( La Science des rêves )

Jameson Audience Award - Best Film

Back - Return ( Volver ) - Directed by: Pedro Almodóvar

Film critics' prize ( Prix FIPRESCI )

Troublemaker (Les Amants réguliers ) - Director: Philippe Garrel

Best European power in world cinema

Jeremy Thomas, British film producer

European Film Award for lifetime achievement

Roman Polanski