Joscha Bongard wins newcomer award at Hessian Film Awards

The winners and nominees for the 2026 Hessian Film and Cinema Awards have been announced. Screenwriter and director Joscha Bongard has been named the newcomer award recipient.

In a move to prioritize film funding over event costs during a period of budget constraints, the traditional opulent gala has been canceled. Instead, the ceremony will be held as an industry evening at the German Film Institute & Film Museum in Frankfurt. Arts and Culture Minister Timon Gremmels stated that the decision aims to avoid cutting film subsidies by opting for a more modest celebration of diversity and artistic freedom.

Despite the reduced scale of the event, prize money for films and cinemas remains stable. The cinema awards will distribute 215,000 euros, with winners such as Traumstern in Lich and Mal Seh’n in Frankfurt receiving 20,000 euros each. Other notable mentions include Oscar winner Volker Schlöndorff, who is expected to receive an award for best novel adaptation for ‘Heimsuchung’.