Hana Jušić wins the International Feature Film Award for Emerging Women Directors  for GOD WILL NOT HELP | Special mention to NUNKUI by Verénice Benítez

Sally Forth Cinema Audience Award goes to Jelena Ilić for EINE KRANKHEIT WIE EIN GEDICHT

ECFA Short Film Award in the programme for children and young people goes to Marie Kenov for OSTRICH

Furthermore, the following prizes, which had already been announced, were presented to their winners:

Female Gaze – CineOne & sPOTTlight National Award for Best Woman Director of Photography
Lisa Jilg receives the award for her cinematography in the fiction film VENA, and Sophia Fenn for her cinematography in the documentary WHERE THE WAVES TOOK HER. The jury awarded a special mention to Sophie Krabbe for her cinematography in HALIMA – A GUIDE TO BEING STRONG.

Shoot – KHM & IFFF Dortmund+Cologne Award for Emerging Female Artists of the Academy of Media Arts Cologne goes to Lenia Friedrich for SO IST DAS LEBEN UND NICHT ANDERS

International Feature Film Competition 2026

Hana Jušić wins the International Feature Film Award for Emerging Women Directors  for her second feature film GOD WILL NOT HELP, released in 2025. The film tells the story of the Chilean Teresa (Manuela Martelli), who, at the beginning of the 20th century, joins a remote shepherding family in the Croatian mountains.

The jury consisted of Annouchka de Andrade, Bettina Brokemper and Athina Rachel Tsangari.

From the jury’s statement: »We were deeply impressed by the two female protagonists, that are no victims, but agents of their own destiny. With outstanding mise en scene and a cinematographic language of great presision and clarity, the film masterfully blends the genres of historical drama, suspense and phychological thriller, all through an unapologetic female gaze.«

The jury also awarded a special mention to the feature film debut NUNKUI by Verénice Benítez.

Sally Forth Cinema Audience Award

The Sally Forth Cinema Audience Award goes to Jelena Ilić for EINE KRANKHEIT WIE EIN GEDICHT. The prize is worth €2,000 and is sponsored by the Dortmund-based production company Sally Forth.

ECFA Short Film Award

The ECFA Short Film Award in the programme for children and young people goes to Marie Kenov for OSTRICH.

Female Gaze – CineOne & sPOTTlight National Award for Best Woman Director of Photography

The Female Gaze – CineOne & sPOTTlight National Award for Best Woman Director of Photography is awarded twice, each prize carrying a cash prize of €2,500. Lisa Jilg receives the award for her cinematography in the fiction film VENA, and Sophia Fenn for her cinematography in the documentary WHERE THE WAVES TOOK HER. The jury awarded a special mention to Sophie Krabbe for her cinematography in HALIMA – A GUIDE TO BEING STRONG. The jury consisted of cinematographers Greta Isabella Conte, Eva Maschke and Gisela Tuchtenhagen.

Shoot – KHM & IFFF Dortmund+Cologne Award for Emerging Female Artists of the Academy of Media Arts Cologne

The Shoot – KHM & IFFF Dortmund+Cologne Award for Emerging Female Artists of the Academy of Media Arts Cologne goes to Lenia Friedrich for SO IST DAS LEBEN UND NICHT ANDERS. The prize, worth €1,000, was awarded by the jury consisting of Conny Beißler, Tasja Langenbach and Nicole Rebmann.