Carl Laemmle Producer Award for Michael Souvignier
For his impressive and exceptionally diverse body of work, producer Michael Souvignier was honored with the 2026 Carl Laemmle Producer Award at a festive gala at Großlaupheim Castle for “a producer’s approach that prioritizes conviction in content and personal responsibility.” Germany’s first and only producer award recognizes the exceptional achievements of producers throughout the entire creative and economic process of filmmaking.
The jury for the 2026 Carl Laemmle Producer Award—comprising Birgit Schulz (Bildersturm Filmproduktion), Nurhan Şekerci-Porst (Constantin Film), Knut Kremling (Banijay Germany), and Helga Reichert (Filmtage Oberschwaben), honored Michael Souvignier as “a laureate with a clear political profile, a strong standing, and tremendous perseverance over a long period of time.”
The laudators— Jochem Wahl, producer and director; Walid Nakschbandi, executive director of the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW; and Till Derenbach, producer and co-managing director of Zeitsprung Pictures—honored Michael Souvignier with very personal words and great appreciation as a person, producer, and entrepreneur with extraordinary creativity, great courage, and a powerful creative influence on the industry and society.
In his acceptance speech, award recipient Michael Souvignier emphasized: “My driving forces are always curiosity, authenticity, and the fight against injustice. Especially in today’s world, one needs the courage to take risks, entirely in the spirit of film pioneer Carl Laemmle. I thank everyone who made this special award possible, and especially my team for walking this path alongside me.”
Michelle Müntefering, CEO and spokesperson for the Executive Board of the Produktionsallianz: “In his work, Michael Souvignier always seeks out the moment that moves us. The power of his works stems from his convictions and humanity. He has something to say. Dear Michael, the Carl Laemmle Producer Award shows that you are being heard! And you are just as much needed, far beyond the industry. Thank you for your work. Congratulations!”
Ingo Bergmann, Mayor of the City of Laupheim: “The presentation of the Carl Laemmle Producer Award was once again a special evening for Laupheim this year. Michael Souvignier, a producer who has created a diverse and successful body of work over more than four decades—and who has consistently addressed socially relevant themes—was honored. I warmly congratulate Michael Souvignier on this award and am delighted that we were able to present the prize here in Carl Laemmle’s birthplace together with the Production Alliance.”
For the second time, up-and-coming producers were also honored with the Carl Laemmle VFF Talent Award. This year’s award goes to Paulina Lorenz, Jorgo Narjes, and Faraz Shariat forthe film “Staatsschutz.” The prize is endowed with 15,000 euros and includes a two-year supporting membership in the Produktionsallianz, which provides access to networks, events, and discussions on film policy.
Jennifer Stahl, managing director of Carl Laemmle Produzentenpreis UG and the Produktionsallianz Campus, commented: “With ‘Staatsschutz,’ Paulina Lorenz, Jorgo Narjes, and Faraz Shariat represent a generation of producers who are redefining their role. They ask not only how a film is made, but also why. The jury honored the young production company Jünglinge Film because it doesn’t just bring a stance to the screen—it also understands the conditions under which films are made as part of the creative process. This is precisely where a new self-understanding of producing is evident: responsibility doesn’t begin with the finished film, but long before it.”
The gala ceremony at Großlaupheim Castle was attended by 400 invited guests from the worlds of film, television, politics, and business, including Ingo Bergmann (Mayor of Laupheim), Michelle Müntefering (CEO and spokesperson for the Executive Board of the Produktionsallianz), and actors and musicians Amanda da Gloria, Anna Loos, Jan Josef Liefers, Alessija Lause, and many others.
The gala was hosted by Andrea Grießmann.
Further information is available on the Carl Laemmle Producers’ Award website.
About the 2026 Carl Laemmle Producer Award Winner, Michael Souvignier
After initially directing non-fiction TV programs (e.g., “Talk im Turm”) and commercials, Michael Souvignier increasingly turned his attention to work as a producer. In 1985, he founded the production company Zeitsprung Pictures, which he continues to lead today as a partner, managing director, and producer. With television movies such as “Die Mädchenfalle – Der Tod kommt online,” he established Zeitsprung Pictures in the German film and TV market. He achieved particular success with the two-part Sat.1 miniseries “Das Wunder von Lengede,” which, with a total of 11 million viewers, was one of the most successful event productions in German television. The film “Contergan,” about the effects of the sleeping pill widely used in the 1960s, caused a media stir when its broadcast was blocked by a preliminary injunction. The ensuing legal battle ultimately not only resulted in a multi-award-winning film and outstanding viewership ratings but also prompted ARD to launch a themed week featuring talk shows and documentaries. In 2010, Michael Souvignier was awarded the Grimme Prize. In 2022, he won the German Film Award for producing Andreas Kleinert’s biopic “Lieber Thomas.” Zeitsprung Pictures’ success story, spanning over 40 years, also includes international streaming productions such as “Kleo” (2022, 2024) and internationally successful theatrical hits such as “Der Medicus 2” (2025).
About the Carl Laemmle Producer Award
The Carl Laemmle Producer Award was first established in 2017 on the occasion of the 150th birthday of film pioneer and Hollywood founder Carl Laemmle by the Production Alliance in collaboration with Laupheim, Carl Laemmle’s birthplace. Since then, numerous renowned figures from the German film industry have been honored: Roland Emmerich (2017), Regina Ziegler (2018), Stefan Arndt (2019), Prof. Nico Hofmann (2020), Dr. Gabriela Sperl (2022), Thomas Kufus (2023), Martin Moszkowicz (2024), and Gabriele M. Walther (2025) are among the recipients who will be remembered for their life’s work and their groundbreaking contributions to German and international filmmaking.
Among the recipients of the 2026 Carl Laemmle VFF Talent Award
Paulina Lorenz is a producer, writer, and co-founder of Jünglinge Film. After her first productions in the music video sector, the Hamburg native took on the production of the multi-award-winning feature film *Futur Drei*, on which she worked for over five years and also co-wrote the screenplay. She studied cultural and migration studies in Hildesheim, Providence, and Copenhagen, and today oversees the development and production of television series and feature films.
Jorgo Narjes is a German-Greek producer. After studying media and cultural studies at the Bauhaus University in Weimar and film production at Goldsmiths, University of London, he worked for the London-based production company Iconoclast, where he produced, among other projects, the multi-award-winning short film *Rebirth Is Necessary*. Since 2018, he has been working at X Filme in Berlin, where he produced, among other projects, the anthology series *Zeit Verbrechen*.
Faraz Shariat is a director, writer, and producer, as well as a co-founder of the film collective Jünglinge. After his first directing and acting projects at Schauspiel Köln, he studied performing arts at the University of Hildesheim. His debut film, *Futur Drei*, premiered at the Berlinale in 2020 and has won several awards. His other works include directing *The Baby* and *Zeit Verbrechen*, as well as producing the series *Schwarze Früchte*, which was screened at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2024.
About the Carl Laemmle VFF Talent Award
Starting in 2025, the Carl Laemmle Producer Award will be expanded to include a forward-looking category. The award, endowed by the VFF (Film and Television Producers’ Collecting Society)and Television Producers, is endowed with 15,000 EUR and honors emerging producers who have already made the transition into the professional film and television industry and are establishing themselves as creative and entrepreneurial talents with their first productions. A nomination alone includes a two-year supporting membership in the Production Alliance, which provides access to networks, events, and discussions on film policy. In the spirit of Carl Laemmle, the Talent Award promotes creative production potential as well as valuable networking between established industry representatives and up-and-coming talent.
About Carl Laemmle
Carl Laemmle, born on January 17, 1867, in Laupheim, was one of the most successful and innovative film producers of his time. With the opening of Universal City Studios in Los Angeles on March 15, 1915, he founded Hollywood, the world’s largest and most important film metropolis. By 1936, he had produced countless films, including “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” “The Phantom of the Opera,” and “All Quiet on the Western Front,” for which he received an Oscar in 1930. Afterward, Universal made the horror film genre mainstream with movies such as “Dracula” and “Frankenstein.”
About the City of Laupheim
Laupheim, the birthplace of film pioneer Carl Laemmle, is an economic hub between Stuttgart, Ulm, and Lake Constance. To this day, Carl Laemmle’s legacy is visible in Laupheim, including an artistically designed Carl Laemmle fountain, a Carl Laemmle Path, the Carl Laemmle High School, and a dedicated section in the Museum of Christian and Jewish History. Since the beginning of 2019, a life-size sculpture of Laemmle has stood in front of the entrance to the Kulturhaus. To kick off the Carl Laemmle Producer Award ceremony, the city hosts the Laemmle Film and Cinema Days, a series of events featuring numerous activities, not just for cinephiles.
About the Production Alliance
The Production Alliance is the independent advocacy group representing German producers of film, television, and other audiovisual media. With approximately 370 members from the fields of animation, documentary, entertainment, television, film, and advertising, it represents the most important production companies and is thus the leading producers’ association in Germany. At both the national and international levels, the Production Alliance advocates for the interests of production companies in dealings with policymakers, rights holders, collective bargaining partners, and all organizations in the media and cultural industries.