Overview
- The gala, which takes place Friday, May 29, 2026, is being held at the Palais am Funkturm in Berlin with Christian Friedel hosting and a live stream plus a delayed TV broadcast on ARD.
- Two prizes were announced before the ceremony: Wim Wenders will receive the honorary Lola for lifetime achievement and Michael 'Bully' Herbig’s Das Kanu des Manitu won the Besucherpreis for the most‑visited film.
- The remaining 15 Lola categories will be decided by roughly 2,400 Deutsche Filmakademie members in a vote that mirrors the academy-style process used for major film awards.
- Leading contenders include In die Sonne schauen with 11 nominations, Gelbe Briefe with nine, and several films with multiple nods such as Ach, diese Lücke, diese entsetzliche Lücke and Das Verschwinden des Josef Mengele.
- Organizers expect about 1,900 guests and have warned that Culture State Minister Wolfram Weimer’s attendance could prompt protests after recent controversies over bookshop exclusions and Berlinale reporting, a development that could shape how the evening is received.