On 18 November, the European Film Academy (EFA) announced the list of all films and film professionals nominated for this year's European Film Academy Awards, feature animation "Dog of God by Raitis and Lauris Ābele is nominated in the category "Best Animated Film", and also - the "European Film 2025".
Published: 18.11.2025.
Already internationally recognized feature animation Dog of God / Dieva suns are amongst five European animated films in the full-length animation category. Since last year, the European Film Academy has changed the rules of the European Film Awards, recognizing that animated and documentary films are also an equal part of European film culture, so they too can qualify for the Best European Film Award, thus members of the European Film Academy will also be able to vote for the film Dog of God in this category, in which the 15 best European films (5 feature films, 5 animated films, 5 documentaries). A list of all the films, directors, actors and other categories nominated for the awards is available on the EFA website HERE.
Following the announcement of the nominations, the voting of the members of the European Film Academy begins, which will continue until January 8, 2026, the awards ceremony will take place on January 17 in Berlin, Germany.
Dita Rietumua, head of the National Film Centre of Latvia says: "The nomination of the film Dog of God in the category of the best European Animated Film is especially significant this year – it confirms the strong position of Latvian animation in the European context, as it purposefully continues the success of its colleagues, Latvian animation professionals. For four years in a row, one of the five feature-length animated films nominated by the European Film Academy has been associated with the name of Latvia – in 2022 it was My Love Affair with Marriage / Mans laulību projekts by Signe Baumane, in 2023 – the seven-country co-production A Greyhound of a Girl, in 2024 – Flow / Straume by Gints Zilbalodis, whose triumph in receiving the European Film Academy Award is still well remembered by all. Whether history repeats itself, we will see on January 17 next year. Good luck!"
The directors of the film God's Dog, brothers Raitis and Lauris Abele, are laconic: "The ways of God are indescribable! – more and more it starts to seem like it, as the film travels around the world festivals and gains more and more new viewers and appreciation. In any case, it will be a great honour for us to represent Latvia at the European Film Academy Awards ceremony in person – in Berlin."
The full-length "animation for adults" Dog of Godhad its world premiere with vivid international reviews in early ths June at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York (USA), where it was announced as "this year's wildest and most unique film". In the film industry, the film has already been rated as unexpectedly bold and innovative, it is made in the rarely used technique of rotoscopic animation and tells about mystical events in 17th-century Livonia.
The film has been shown in Latvian cinemas since September and was chosen as the opening film of the Riga IFF festival. It is also Latvia's official submission for the Oscar for the category Best International Feature Film.
The visual world of the film was created by artist Harijs Grundmanis and cameraman Mārcis Ābele, the script was created by Ivo Briedis, brothers Ābeles and Grundmanis, animation works were directed by Aigars Gercāns and Kristīna Rezviha. Starring Jurģis Spulenieks, Agate Krista, Regnārs Vaivars, Einars Repše, Kristians Kareļins. The film's producers are Raitis Ābele, Kristele Pudane (Tritone Studio, Latvia) and Giovanni Labadessa (Lumiere Lab, USA), the filmmaking has been supported by the National Film Centre (ERAF/REACT-EU project for the growth of Latvian film industry companies).
More information:
Alise Podniece
communication coordinator of the film
29138498
alise.podniece@gmail.com