European Film Academy Awards, otherwise known among cinema enthusiasts, as the ‘European Oscar’ is one of the biggest events, both in terms of size and importance in the cinema industry. The festival, which is otherwise known as EFA, comes as an invention of Ingmar Bergman in 1988, to continue its annual realization until today.
As a huge organization, of special importance for film productions, the organizers of EFA have taken another initiative since 2012: involvement of young people from different countries of Europe in the evaluation of films. This year found Albania with a special invitation from the organizers of the festival, precisely in the framework of the Young Academy Awards.
The Filmig Tirana Office as part of the Creative Industry Agency (part of Tirana Municipality), in cooperation with the National Cinematography Center, organizes thirty young Albanians, aged 12-14 years old, who will play the role of the jury with the right to vote for two films and one documentary, pre-selected by EFA.

This voting process will take place in parallel in 42 countries of the world, to then select the best candidate for the “short list” of the festival. The selected projects will first be shown to young people over a period of three days, to be followed by the award ceremony on November 13, 2022 in Erfurt (Germany). 
The Young Academy Awards is also part of the European Film Club, which serves as a cinematic platform and network for young people from across the continent, who will have constant access to watch and discussed European films in new cinemas. The involvement of young people in the role of the jury will help the latter, through the initiative of YAA, to have the opportunity to discover and become familiar with productions of a high artistic quality in Europe.
With this end in view, this event will also serve as a strong bridge between cultures, raising above all awareness of important social issues. This initiative encourages young cinema enthusiasts to become catalysts of positive change and support in understanding the problems of their neighbors on the same continent.

/Klara Ruci/