Some of the continent’s biggest stars lit up the red carpet at the 25th European Film Awards in Valletta on Saturday night.

Oscar-winner Dame Helen Mirren, who won an award for European Achievement in World Cinema, dazzled onlookers with her beaming smile and glittering black and gold dress.

Suave Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen, who was nominated for the European Actor award for his role in The Hunt, was another favourite for autograph-hunters at the Mediterranean Conference Centre.

Mr Mikkelsen, who played Bond villain Le Chiffre in Casino Royale (2006), lost out in his category to veteran French actor Jean-Louis Trintignant (Amour).

Amour was the night’s big winner, also taking home the gongs for best director (Michael Haneke), actress (Emmanuelle Riva) and film.

Dutch actress Carice van Houten turned heads in a flamboyant cream dress and Sir Michael Gambon – a celebrated thespian known to younger generations as Harry Potter’s Dumbledore – also graced the red carpet.

The European Film Awards, held outside Berlin every two years, came to Malta for the first time.

The night’s other big winners were Tinker Tailor Solider Spy and Shame, which won two awards apiece. The former won for production designer (Maria Djurkovic) and composer (Alberto Iglesias), while Shame won for cinematographer (Sean Bobbit) and editor (Joe Walker).

Iconic Italian director Bernardo Bertolucci collected the Lifetime Achievement Award in his trademark trilby and the much-fancied film The Hunt had to be content with the Screenplay Award, picked up by Tobias Lindholm and Thomas Vinterberg.

Alois Nebel won the prize for Animated Feature Film, Kauwboy won the European Discovery gong, Hiver Nomade (Winter Nomads) took home the Documentary Award and Hasta La Vista/Come as You Are was the People’s Choice.