On 16 January 2026, the International Casting Directors Association (ICDA) hosted a drinks reception at the Dorint Hotel Kurfürstendamm Berlin to celebrate the launch of the very first European Casting Director Award. The reception took place on the eve of the 38th European Film Awards, which were held in Berlin on 17 January 2026.
The event marked an important milestone for the European casting community, bringing together ICDA casting directors, members of the European Film Academy, and nominees of the inaugural European Casting Director Award. It provided an opportunity to celebrate both the establishment of this new award and the outstanding work of the 2026 nominees.
ICDA is particularly proud to acknowledge that ICDA members Yngvill Kolset Haga and Avy Kaufman were nominated in this new category for their exceptional casting work on Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value.
We were honored to welcome members of the European Film Academy Board, including President Ada Solomon and Deputy Chair Leontine Petit. The evening was further enriched by the presence of several members of the Sentimental Value team, alongside many other distinguished guests from across the European film industry.
The reception was a great success and underscored the growing recognition of casting as a vital creative discipline within filmmaking. ICDA extends its sincere thanks to LumiCup for supplying the beautiful ICDA cups that contributed so elegantly to the evening.
We are grateful to everyone who joined us in Berlin to celebrate this important moment, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration with the European Film Academy as we champion casting excellence across Europe.