| The feature film SOUND OF FALLING by Mascha Schilinski (Studio Zentral) is on the shortlist for the 98th Oscar® Academy Awards in the „International Feature Film“ category. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) announced their decision today (16 December, 2025). The German entry will now be joining another 14 films in the shortlist. Fabian Gamper is also on the shortlist for SOUND OF FALLING in the “Cinematography” category. The following German co-productions are in the shortlist alongside the German entry: - THE SECRET AGENT by Kleber Mendonça Filho (BR/FR/DE/NL, One Two Films) – Brazil
- ALL THAT’S LEFT OF YOU by Cherien Dabis (DE/CY, Pallas Film, Twenty Twenty Vision Filmproduktion) – Jordan
SENTIMENTAL VALUE by Joachim Trier (NO/DE/DK/FR/SE, Komplizen Film) – Norway LATE SHIFT (HELDIN) by Petra Biondina Volpe (CH/DE, MMC Zodiac) - Switzerland
On January 22, 2026, the Academy will reveal which five of the 15 films in the shortlist will then be going forward to the final selection to take part in the competition for the Oscar® in this category. Films from 86 countries were accepted for consideration for the selection. In August, a nine-member independent jury had selected SOUND OF FALLING from five submissions as the German entry for the „International Feature Film“ Oscar® category. About the film:
SOUND OF FALLING was the opening film in this year's Official Competition at the Festival de Cannes. The film was awarded the Jury Prize (ex aequo). Critics and industry professionals were already enthusiastic straight after the premiere screenings in Cannes. The press described Schilinski's drama as a “mesmerising stunner” (IndieWire), “brilliant epic” (Variety), “captivating, courageous portrait of womanhood”’ (The Hollywood Reporter) and “an exhilarating experience” (Deadline). SOUND OF FALLING was screened in Shanghai, Karlovy Vary, and at several festivals in Australia, shortly after the Cannes premiere. By the end of the year, the film has also been shown at such renowned international festivals as New York, Busan, Vancouver, BFI London, Chicago, AFI FEST Los Angeles, Bangkok, and Stockholm, where it won further awards. SOUND OF FALLING has received eight nominations for the European Film Awards, which will be presented on January 17, 2026, including for Best Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. SOUND OF FALLING was produced by Maren Schmitt, Lucas Schmidt and Lasse Scharpen (for Studio Zentral) with ZDF/Das kleine Fernsehspiel (Burkhard Althoff and Melvina Kotios) and backed by Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung (MDM), the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM), and the German Federal Film Fund (DFFF). The German distributor Neue Visionen released the film in German cinemas on August 28, 2025, with almost 350.000 admissions to date. mk2 is handling international sales. SOUND OF FALLING has already been sold to over 40 territories around the world. MUBI acquired the rights for North America, the UK, Ireland, India and Turkey and will be releasing the film nationwide in US cinemas on January 16, 2026. In addition, German filmmakers were nominated for the shortlist in the following categories for their participation in these films: - "Cinematography": Fabian Gamper for SOUND OF FALLING
The Oscar® awards ceremony will be held at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood on March 15, 2026.
Further information about the 98th Academy Awards® and the regulations can be found here. | |
| This November, FACE TO FACE ambassador Mala Reinhardt toured various territories in Asia to promote her latest documentary film FAMILIAR PLACES. She started with a China visit to Chengdu, Sichuan: she screened her film at the local Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany for a local audience and joined a Q&A session to share insights into her creative process. Her next stop was Bangkok, Thailand, where she attended the opening press conference of the Baturu Women’s Film Festival at the Foreign correspondents club in Thailand (FCCT) – her film was part of the festival line-up. Her final destination was Phnom Penh, Cambodia. This time, the FAMILIAR PLACES screening was followed by a storytelling workshop led by Mala. The event was co-hosted by the German Embassy, Meta House, the Baturu Women’s Film Festival, and the Heinrich Böll Foundation (HBS) Cambodia. The workshop brought together around 35 participants, all interested in storytelling, perspectives, and the impact of documentary filmmaking. | |
| The European Shooting Stars will celebrate their 29th edition next year. The EFP (European Film Promotion) announced the ten young European actors who will be honored as EUROPEAN SHOOTING STARS 2026 in December. Actor Enno Trebs will represent Germany in 2026. This year's Shooting Stars were selected by an international jury consisting of Danish actress Danica Ćurčić, Bosnian film director and Oscar winner Danis Tanović, British-Sudanese critic and author Leila Latif, Belgian producer Jacques-Henri Bronckart, and Portuguese casting director Jo Monteiro. The European Shooting Stars 2026 are: Fatlume Bunjaku (Albania), Lucas Englander (Austria), Violet Braeckman (Belgium), Salif Cissé (France), Enno Trebs (Germany), Danielle Galligan (Ireland), Tecla Marianna Insolia (Italy), Joes Brauers (The Netherlands), Sofia Tjelta Sydness (Norway) and Cleo Diára (Portugal). German actor Enno Trebs began his career with a remarkable debut in Michael Haneke’s Palme d’Or–winning THE WHITE RIBBON (2009). He has since developed into one of Germany’s most intriguing young performers, frequently collaborating with Christian Petzold in UNDINE (2020), AFIRE (2023) and MIROIRS NO. 3 (2025). He now takes on a leading role in Nicolas Ehret’s ECHO OF TOMORROW’S WAR (2026).
The jury observes an “intense, precise actor who combines a youthful energy with a distinct maturity,” noting in his latest performance “six levels of emotion that he is playing all at once. His balancing of kindness and brutality is astonishing, you believe in both.” As part of the prestigious initiative, supported by Creative Europe’s MEDIA Programme of the European Union, the ten winners will be presented to the film industry, the international press and the public during the 76th Berlin International Film Festival, running from the February 12-22, 2026. Previous German EUROPEAN SHOOTING STARS have included Devrim Lingnau (2025), Katharina Stark (2024), Leonie Benesch (2023), Emilio Sakraya (2022), Albrecht Schuch (2021), Jonas Dassler (2020), Emma Drogunova (2019), Franz Rogowski (2018), Louis Hofmann (2017), Jella Haase (2016) und Jannis Niewöhner (2015). | |
| The focus of the next session for the English-language KINO! FILM SALON online film club on January 18th, 2026 will be RIEFENSTAHL by Andres Veiel. The thrilling documentary feature film celebrated its world premiere in the official selection of the Venice International Film Festival in 2024 and celebrated its US premiere at the prestigious Telluride Film Festival. Our curator Jim Kolmar‘s comment on the movie: "Leni Riefenstahl is unquestionably one of the most enigmatic, complex figures in film history. Andres Veiel's extraordinary biography examines her life and legacy through the prism of her rich, rigorous trove of archival material including letters, audio and video tapes, newspaper cuttings and much more. RIEFENSTAHL fearlessly examines the intersection of art, technical prowess, and how media informs our perception of the world. And while the film is rooted in history, it feels absolutely relevant to our current reality. We can trace a clear line from Leni Riefenstahl's innovative, problematic propaganda to the casual, yet insistent 'content' of the social media age. It's a troubling, provocative and fascinating body of work. Don't miss Andres Veiel's magnificent RIEFENSTAHL." Director and screenwriter Andres Veiel will join us LIVE from Berlin to introduce and discuss his film. RSVP here Date and time: Sunday, January 18th, 2026 at 11:00am – 12:00pm PT, 2:00pm – 3:00pm ET, 8:00pm – 9:00pm CET.
Hosted by Jim Kolmar KINO! FILM SALON is a production by Telescope Film, in collaboration with the German Film Office Trailer here | |
| Episode 90 - January 1, 2026:
Our talk with actress Samirah Breuer covered reenacting favorite movies with friends as a kid, her love for walks, a Tim Kuhn shout-out – and wonderfully enough, the joy of home-cooked family meals. The talented performer gave us some fun insights into her creative mind. Episode 91 - January 22, 2026:
During the postproduction for his latest film – which will be screened at the Sundance Film Festival in 2026 - director Visar Morina took the time to talk to us about producing, getting lost in music, the joy of reading Annie Ernaux and his love for Feta – not necessarily in that order. You can find all of the episodes on our website and wherever podcasts are available. SHORT TAKE on Instagram! | |
| Eurimages International Co-Production Award for Komplizen-Film
Congratulations to Komplizen Film! At the European Film Awards ceremony on January 17, 2026, Maren Ade, Jonas Dornbach, and Janine Jackowski from Komplizen Film will receive the Eurimages International Co-Production Award.
Twenty films (co-)produced by Komplizen Film received funding from Eurimages, the Council of Europe's cultural promotion fund. These include Ade's Oscar-nominated TONI ERDMANN, Corneliu Porumboiu's LA GOMERA, Ildikó Enyedi's THE SORY OF MY WIFE, Nuri Bilge Ceylan's IN DRY GRASS, Marie Kreutzer's CORSAGE, and currently Nadav Lapis' YES and Joachim Trier's SENTIMENTAL VALUE, which received eight Golden Globe nominations. Other films (co-)produced by Komplizen Film include Pablo Larrain's MARIA and SPENCER, Nicolette Krebitz's AEIOU – THE FAST ALPHABET OF LOVE, and Valeska Grisebach's WESTERN. Awards for YUNAN and ALL THAT'S LEFT OF YOU at Red Sea Film Festival
The fifth edition of the Red Sea Film Festival took place from December 4 to 13, 2025 in Jeddah. At the festival in Saudi Arabia, YUNAN received two awards, Ameer Fakher Eldin was awarded with the Yusr Award for Best Director, and George Khabbaz received the award for Best Actor. In addition, the German production ALL THAT'S LEFT OF YOU was awarded the Silver Yusr Feature Film Award. Calls for applications and submissions - Screenwriters program of the Oxbelly Retreat: The Screenwriters program of the 2026 Oxbelly Retreat, a gathering for international writers working in film and literature, will take place from July 1 to 9 in Costa Navarino, Greece. The Screenwriters program, led by filmmaker Radu Jude, supports writer-directors developing their second fiction feature scripts who are seeking to strengthen their craft and push the boundaries of their unique cinematic voice. Deadline is January 14, 2026 at 11:59 PM EET. More information can be found here.
- BIF Market: BIFFF and German Films will collaborate on the tenth edition of the BIF Market. The Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (April 3 to 18, 2026) organizes the BIF Market which will take place from April 13 to 17, 2026. The 10th edition will continue to be a hybrid edition (onsite and online). The BIF Market is a place to be for everyone working on a genre project. Besides Belgian professionals it facilitates encounters with numerous international professionals, sales agents, festivals, and representatives of various funding institutions. More information can be found here.
- DocsBarcelona Pro: DocsBarelona Pro has established itself as one of the main events for documentary professionals, offering a unique platform to network, present, and develop projects. The festival will take place from May 7 to 17, and the professional activities will be held from May 9 to 14. Opportunities are offered for feature-length and non-fiction series projects directed and/or produced by professionals from all over the world. Deadline is January 30, 2026. More information can be found here.
- Transatlantic Rising Star Project 2026: The Delegation of the European Union to the United States today opened the first call for EU film directors to join the 2026 Transatlantic Rising Stars Project. Funded by the European Union, the project strengthens cultural links and creative collaboration between Europe and the United States. Each year, it supports artists across the visual arts, film, and music sectors through on-the-ground experiences in the United States.
The call invites European film directors from across all 27 EU Member States to apply for a fully funded two-week exploration of the American film world. Applications are open through January 16, 2026. Successful candidates will travel to the United States between mid May and early June 2026. More information can be found here.
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| Awards for German productions and co-productions at Bilbao, Leuven, Valladolid, Ljubljana, Aguilar, Hainan and Les Arcs. | |
| International releases of German films in January 2026 supported by the German Films Distribution Support program: EXTRAWURST in Switzerland (Distributor: Filmcoopi Zürich AG, World Sales: Studiocanal, Theatrical Release: January 15, 2026, Grant: 15,000 €)
GRAND PRIX OF EUROPE in Vietnam (Distributor: Noori Pictures Co., Ltd, World Sales: Europa-Park Freizeit-und Familienpark Mack KG, Theatrical Release: January 23, 2026, Grant: 9,000 €)
ISLANDS in Romania (Distributor: Transilvania Film, World Sales: Protagonist Pictures, Theatrical Release: January 30, 2026, Grant: 4,000 €)
ISLANDS in the US (Distributor: Greenwich Entertainment, World Sales: Protagonist Pictures, Theatrical Release: January 30, 2026, Grant: 15,000 €)
SOUND OF FALLING in France (Distributor: Diaphana Film, World Sales: MK2 Films, Theatrical Release: January 07, 2026, Grant: 14,500 €)
SOUND OF FALLING in Switzerland and Liechtenstein (Distributor: Cineworx, World Sales: MK2 Films, Theatrical Release: January 07, 2026, Grant: 9,500 €)
STICH HEAD in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Distributor: BLITZ d.o.o., World Sales: GFM, Theatrical Release: January 01, 2026, Grant: 2,000 €)
STICH HEAD in Croatia (Distributor: BLITZ d.o.o., World Sales: GFM, Theatrical Release: January 01, 2026, Grant: 11,000 €)
STICH HEAD in Serbia (Distributor: BLITZ d.o.o., World Sales: GFM, Theatrical Release: January 01, 2026, Grant: 4,000 €)
TAFITI- ACROSS THE DESERT in France (Distributor: Paradis Films, World Sales: Sola Media, Theatrical Release: January 21, 2026, Grant: 14,000 €)
THE DOOR TO DOOR BOOKSHOP in Taiwan (Distributor: Swallow Wings Films Co., Ltd., World Sales: Studiocanal, Theatrical Release: January 23, 2026, Grant: 10,000 €)
THE GOOD SISTER in Mexico (Distributor: Bestiario Films, World Sales: New Europe Film Sales, Theatrical Release: January 28, 2026, Grant: 5,500 €)
YUNAN in Spain (Distributor: Reverso Films, World Sales: Intramovies, Theatrical Release: January 09, 2026, Grant: 6,000 €)
Please note: Correct at time of going to press. Changes may occur at any time.
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