Observed Signal · May 30, 2026 · Awards · Source: DWDL · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
ZDF Co-Production 'In die Sonne schauen' Wins Ten Lolas
At the 2026 Deutscher Filmpreis in Berlin the ZDF co-production In die Sonne schauen was the big winner, receiving ten Lolas including the Lola in Gold for Best Feature Film. The drama, directed by Mascha Schilinski and produced by Studio Zentral (a ZDF Studios subsidiary), also earned awards for Best Director, Best Screenplay (Mascha Schilinski and Louise Peter), and multiple technical categories. ZDF Program Director Nadine Bilke praised the recognition as confirmation of ZDF's commitment to emotionally powerful, socially relevant German films. Other winners noted in the ceremony included the ZDF/Arte co-production Gelbe Briefe (Lola in Silver and Best Film Music), August Diehl (Best Male Lead for a BR/Arte production), and Sabine Lidl and Irene Höfer (Best Documentary for a NDR/Arte film).
Broadcast and production news highlights a major content win for a public broadcaster and its studio subsidiary, relevant to media owners and content monetization strategies but not directly impactful to core AdTech infrastructure.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- 'In die Sonne schauen' won ten Deutscher Filmpreis (Lola) awards, including the Lola in Gold for Best Feature Film.
- The film is a ZDF co-production produced by Studio Zentral, a subsidiary of ZDF Studios.
- Mascha Schilinski won Best Director and co-wrote the Best Screenplay (with Louise Peter).
- ZDF/Arte co-production 'Gelbe Briefe' received the Lola in Silver and the award for Best Film Music.
- August Diehl won Best Male Lead for the BR/Arte co-production 'Das Verschwinden des Josef Mengele'; Sabine Lidl and Irene Höfer won Best Documentary for 'Siri Hustvedt – Dance Around the Self' (NDR/Arte).
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DEA Anniversary in Cologne: ZDF, btf and Leonine Win
The fifth Deutscher Entertainment Award (DEA) was held on June 18, 2026, at Carlswerk Victoria in Cologne. The ceremony, focused on entertainment production, saw a strong showing from public broadcasters and production houses: multiple prizes went to ZDF formats, btf won the newly introduced Best Short Form and was highlighted alongside a Film‑ und Medienstiftung NRW special prize, and subsidiaries of Leonine produced two winners in the Best Talents category. Hosts Anna Dushime and Micky Beisenherz moderated the event. Notable winners included Prime Productions’ heute-show extra (Best Development), ITV Studios Germany’s Werwölfe (Best Adaptation for ARD‑Mediathek), Laura Caciauna (i&u Studios) and Li von Massow (Madame Zheng Production) who split Best Talents. Mai Thi Nguyen‑Kim and her team received a special prize presented by NRW media minister Nathanael Liminski.
ARD Dominates German TV Awards, RTL and Netflix Win Big
At the 'Nacht der Kreativen' ceremony in Cologne, part of the German Television Awards (Deutscher Fernsehpreis), ARD productions won seven of eleven categories, dominating the creative awards. RTL Deutschland secured two awards, while ZDF, Netflix, and HBO Max each received one. Highlights included multiple wins for the ARD film 'Die Nichte des Polizisten' (Best Book and Best Editing), as well as awards for the ARD series 'Naked' (Best Director) and the RTL series 'Die Nibelungen' (Best Production Design). The evening showcased the creative talent behind German television productions, with several major nominees like 'Hundertdreizehn' and 'Chabos' still awaiting potential awards in the main ceremony.
German Television Award 2026 winners announced
The 2026 German Television Award ceremony took place in Cologne, with a second night of awards after the 'Night of the Creatives'. Major winners included 'Chabos' for Best Comedy Series, 'Achtsam Morden' star Tom Schilling for Best Actor, 'Olivia' for Best TV Film, and 'Markus Lanz' for Best Information. ZDF won multiple categories, including Best Infotainment and Best Documentary Series. The ceremony also honored Peter Kloeppel with a lifetime achievement award, who criticized the outsourcing of creative work to AI. Stephen Raab's show 'Wer weiß wie wann was war?' won Best Entertainment Show.
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