Overview
- Leonie Benesch won best actress for Heldin and Rainer Bock took best actor for Karla, while Yvonne Görlach received the screenplay prize for Karla following an emotional on‑stage dedication.
- Michael “Bully” Herbig was honored for the most successful film with Das Kanu des Manitu, and Florian David Fitz received the Minister‑President’s honorary award, presented by State Minister Florian Herrmann in Markus Söder’s absence.
- Mascha Schilinski earned the directing prize for In die Sonne schauen and Fabian Gamper won for cinematography on the same film.
- Further honors included newcomer director Michael Kofler for Zweitland, the documentary award for Daniel Abma’s Im Prinzip Familie, best children’s film for Zirkuskind, and the discovery award for Heike Hanold‑Lynch and Til Schindler for Scham.
- Award speeches urged action on youth services and care‑worker conditions and thanked those sustaining democratic life, as BR‑linked projects collected multiple wins and the film weekend continued with the Filmball and Max Ophüls awards.