The European Film Awards have announced the nominations with a number of surprises.

Among the big nominees were German film "Victoria" starring Spanish actress Laia Costa. The film, which was shot in one take, scored nominations in the Best European Film category, Best European Director and Best European Actress for Costa.

The critically acclaimed film will be competing alongside "The Lobster," "Mustang," "A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence," "Youth" and "Rams."

Of these six films, four of the Best Film nominees will be competing for Oscars as three are foreign film submissions and one is a Best Actor and Picture contender.

In the Best Director category, Sebastian Schipper, who directed "Victoria" is nominated against Malgorzata Szumowska for "Body," Yorgos Lanthimos for "The Lobster," Nanni Moretti for "Mia Madre," Roy Andersson for "A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence" and Paolo Sorrentino for "Youth."

"Victoria's" Costa will compete for the Best European Actress award with Margherita Buy for "Mia Madre," Charlotte Rampling for "45 Years," Alicia Vikander for "Ex Machina" and Rachel Weisz for her work on "Youth." The nominations in this category are a huge boost for both Rampling and Vikander, who are big Oscar contenders this year.

Oscar contenders Michael Caine ("Youth") and Tom Courtenay ("45 Years") will compete for the Best European Actor award with Colin Farrell ("The Lobster"), Christian Friedel ("13 Minutes") and Cannes Best Actor winner Vincent Lindon ("The Measure of a Man")

In the screenplay competition, Radu Jude and Florin Lazarescu are nominated for the Romanian Oscar selection "Aferim!" alongside Alex Garland ("Ex Machina"), Andrew Haigh ("45 Years"), Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthymis Filippou ("The Lobster"), Roy Andersson ("A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflection on Existence") and Paolo Sorrentino, ("Youth").

Among the films that got snubbed at this year's awards are Giulio Ricciarelli's German Oscar submission "Labyrinth of Lies," Arnaud Desplechin's "My Golden Days," Corneliu Porumboiu's "The Treasure," Matteo Garrone's "Tale of Tales," Paul King's "Paddington" and Liv Ullmann's "Miss Julie."

The European Film Awards are the Oscars for Europe and a number of times the winner has gone on to win the Best Foreign Film award at the Academy Awards in the U.S. Among the past winners of the EFA's are Oscar winners "Ida," "The Great Beauty," "Amour" and "The Lives of Others."

This year the EFA is unlikely to replicate the foreign film winner at the Oscars especially since "Son of Saul," the current front runner, was not submitted due to disagreement over screener distribution.

This year's European Film Awards will be presented in Berlin on Dec. 12.

Full list of nominations:

Best European Film

"The Lobster"

"Mustang"

"A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence"

"Rams"

"Victoria"

"Youth"

Best European Director

Malgorzata Szumowska, "Body"

Yorgos Lanthimos, "The Lobster"

Nanni Moretti, "Mia Madre"

Roy Andersson, "A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence"

Sebastian Schipper, "Victoria"

Paolo Sorrentino, "Youth"

Best European Actor

Michael Caine, "Youth"

Tom Courtenay, "45 Years"

Colin Farrell, "The Lobster"

Christian Friedel, "13 Minutes"

Vincent Lindon, "The Measure of a Man"

Best European Actress

Margherita Buy, "Mia Madre"

Laia Costa, "Victoria"

Charlotte Rampling, "45 Years"

Alicia Vikander, "Ex Machina"

Rachel Weisz, "Youth"

Best European Screenwriter

Radu Jude and Florin Lazarescu, "Aferim!"

Alex Garland, "Ex Machina"

Andrew Haigh, "45 Years"

Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthymis Filippou, "The Lobster"

Roy Andersson, "A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence"

Paolo Sorrentino, "Youth"

Best European Documentary

"Amy"

"Dancing with Maria"

"The Look of Silence"

"A Syrian Love Story"

"Toto and His Sisters"

Best European Animated Feature

"Adama"

"Shaun the Sheep Movie"

"Song of the Sea"

Best European Comedy

"The Belier Family"

"The Brand New Testament"

"A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence"

Fipresci Prize - Best European Discovery

"Goodnight Mommy"

"Limbo"

"Mustang"

"Slow West"

"Summers Downstairs"

 

Best European Short

"Dissonance"

"E.T.E.R.N.I.T."

"Field Study"

"Kung Fury"

"Listen"

"Our Body"

"Over"

"Picnic"

"The Runner"

"Smile, and the World Will Smile Back"

"Son of the Wolf"

"Symbolic Threats"

"This Place We Call Our Home"

"The Translator"

"Washingtonia"

TECHNICAL WINNERS (previously announced)

Best European Cinematographer

Martin Gschlacht, "Goodnight Mommy"

Best European Editor

Jacek Drosio, "Body"

Best European Composer

Cat's Eyes, "The Duke of Burgundy"

Best European Production Designer

Sylvie Olive, "The Brand New Testament"

Best European Costume Designer

Sarah Blenkinsop, "The Lobster"

Best European Sound Designer

Vasco Pimentel and Miguel Martins, "Arabian Nights"