September 1st 2002 marked the start of the annual opportunity for European filmgoers to participate in the European Film Awards' People's Choice.

Through a variety of outlets, cinemagoers can vote for their favourites, from the past year's films, in the categories of best European director, actor and actress.

The People's Choice Awards form part of the annual European Film Awards, to be held this year on Saturday, 7th December, in Rome.

For the first time, Ernst & Young LLP will act as official tabulator, endorsing the voting procedures and confirming the winners of the three People's Choice Awards.

Cinemagoers across Europe can vote in a variety of ways; through national newspapers, local websites and specialist film magazines - as well as through http://efa.tiscali.com, where subscribers can use the voting website.

The Awards are produced under the auspices of the European Film Academy, whose 1,500 members vote in the main awards categories.

The Awards ceremony, which is also supported by the Municipality of Rome, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Cinecitta Holdings, will take place in the Auditorium at the Parco Della Musica. It is produced, on behalf of the European Film Academy, by the UK-based producers, DDA Productions, with Zone Attive as executive producers in Rome. The television coverage of the gala event will be transmitted "as live" by leading broadcasters across Europe and around the world.

People's Choice Awards Nominations 2002

BEST EUROPEAN DIRECTOR

Pedro Almodovar - Hable Con Ella
Marco Bellocchio - L'Ora Di Religione
Cristina Comencini - Il Piu Bel Giorno Della Mia Vita
Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne - Le Fils
Andreas Dresen - Halbe Treppe/Grill Point
Paul Greengrass - Bloody Sunday
Aki Kaurismaki - Mies Vailla Menneisyytta
Cedric Klapisch - L'Auberge Espagnole
Mike Leigh - All Or Nothing
Annette K. Olesen - Sma Ulykker
Francois Ozon - 8 Femmes
Silvio Soldini - Brucio Nel Vento

BEST EUROPEAN ACTOR

Hugh Bonneville - Iris
Jim Broadbent - Iris
Adrien Brody - Le Pianiste
Javier Camara - Hable Con Ella
Vincent Cassel - Sur Mes Levres
Sergio Castellitto - L'Ora Di Religione
Alain Chabat - Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra
Martin Compston - Sweet Sixteen
Ralph Fiennes - Spider
Olivier Gourmet - Le Fils
Luigi Lo Cascio - Luce Dei Miei Occhi
Ulrich Tukur - Amen

BEST EUROPEAN ACTRESS

Victoria Abril - Sin Noticias De Dios
Fanny Ardant - 8 Femmes
Ariane Ascaride - Marie-Jo Et Ses 2 Amours
Judi Dench - Iris
Emmanuelle Devos - Sur Mes Levres
Isabelle Huppert - 8 Femmes
Helen Mirren - Gosford Park
Parminder Nagra - Bend It Like Beckham
Maggie Smith - Gosford Park
Paprika Steen - Okay
Emily Watson - Gosford Park
Kate Winslet - Iris