German Lolas swept by Mascha Schilinski's 'Sound of Falling'
Mascha Schilinski's experimental period drama 'Sound of Falling' dominated the 2026 German Film Awards, known as the Lolas, taking home 10 awards including Best Film and Best Director. The film weaves together the stories of four women from different eras in rural East Germany, resonating with critics for its ability to transcend time and place. In the acting categories, veteran performers Senta Berger and Michael Wittenborn earned Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor, respectively, for Simon Verhoeven's comedy 'Ach, diese Lücke, diese entsetzliche Lücke'. İlker Çatak's 'Yellow Letters', despite nine nominations, was a near-shutout with only two wins, underscoring how critical acclaim and audience reception can diverge.
Wim Wenders and political moments at the Lolas
Legendary director Wim Wenders received a Lifetime Achievement Lola and used his speech to address a controversial topless scene from his 1975 film 'Wrong Move', which featured a then-13-year-old Nastassja Kinski, confronting his past decisions in a rare moment of public self-criticism. The ceremony also included a standing ovation for Berlin Film Festival director Tricia Tuttle amid a right-wing press campaign that sought her removal, turning the awards into a stage for dialogue about artistic responsibility and political pressure.
Cannes Un Certain Regard names top winners
Sandra Wollner's 'Everytime' won the top prize at Cannes' Un Certain Regard section, telling the story of a family grappling with tragedy during a summer holiday and using grief as a lens on relationships and memory. Abinash Bikram Shah's 'Elephants in the Fog' took the Jury Prize, offering a portrait of Nepal's transgender Kinnar community, a group legally recognized as a third gender yet still facing social stigma. Louis Clichy, a former Pixar animator known for work on 'WALL-E' and 'Up', won a Special Jury Prize for 'Iron Boy', a hand-painted animated film set in rural France that emphasizes craftsmanship over digital production.
KVIFF industry awards back Eastern European projects
At the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, the Eurimages Co-production Development Award went to 'Selamlik', a love story set against war, displacement, and geopolitical tensions. The Eurimages Special Co-production Development Award honored Ukrainian project 'Reminiscence', helmed by a female creative team and exploring loss, grief, and survival, a narrative that also received the Connecting Cottbus Award, reinforcing KVIFF's focus on Eastern European cinema. The MIDPOINT & KVIFF Development Award went to North Macedonian film 'They Bloom at Dawn', which focuses on human relationships amid an environmental crisis.
Spotlight on producers and Central European cinema
KVIFF's industry programming includes dedicated awards for producers, such as the Rotterdam Lab Award and Marché du Film Producers Network Award, aimed at giving emerging producers the tools and networks to navigate the international film industry. Hugo Rosák, head of KVIFF's Film Industry Office, has framed the festival as a platform positioning Central Europe as a rising audiovisual hub, with industry activities designed to bring regional talent to the forefront and foster international collaborations.
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