Strong Support from North Rhine-Westphalia: 11.5 Million Euros for Filmmakers

A strong start to the year for Filmland NRW: In the first funding round of 2026, the Film and Media Foundation NRW is awarding 11.5 million euros to 30 projects. In doing so, the Film Foundation provides filmmakers with planning certainty early in the year, sustainably strengthens diversity and quality as well as NRW as a production hub, and thereby opens up new prospects for the industry. Among the top-funded projects are the RTL series“Coga – Kampf um Kampf,” the ARD series“Die Zweiflers,” and“Siebzehn,” which tells the story of four teenagers in Duisburg-Marxloh. BVB and S04 make soccer history in the documentary series“Pötte in den Pott” by Christian Twente.

Katja von Garnier adapts Hape Kerkeling’s moving genealogicaljourney “Gebt mir etwas Zeit” for the screen, while Sönke Wortmann adapts the French play“Die lieben Eltern.” In“Liebesgeister,” Benjamin Heisenberg examines modern relationship expectations, while Andreas Kleinert tells an existential drama in his unmistakable style with“Genau du.”

Wim Wenders Fellowship recipient Britta Wauer is realizing a special documentary project with“Im Takt des Purzelbaums,” an exploration of the life of Anni Sauer—with the help of AI. Hannah and Raymond Ley’s“Die Sonne scheint” is a screenplay about the racist attacks in Rostock-Lichtenhage in 1992, told from the perspective of those affected. Additionally,“Horst Schlämmer sucht das Glück” returns to the big screen starting March 26.

New members of the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW’s grand jury are Mareike Lueg (production manager, solis film + content productions) and Elisa May (managing director of Kern des Ganzen—Agency for Film Communication).

“With an impressive first round of funding, we’ve gotten off to a strong start in 2026. North Rhine-Westphalia has once again proven itself to be a reliable partner for creative professionals—open, courageous, and full of confidence in compelling stories and outstanding cinematic styles. NRW remains the home of the best stories and the most talented filmmakers. At the same time, it is always important to us to move forward together with confidence,” said Walid Nakschbandi, CEO of the Filmstiftung NRW. “I’d like to thank our wonderful jury, to which we welcome Mareike Lueg and Elisa May as new members; their expertise and understanding of film are tremendous assets to our work.”

Feature Film

GIVE ME SOME TIME - 1,000,000 euros

Production: UFA Fiction, Potsdam
Co-production: Gesellschaft für Feine Filme, Cologne/Berlin
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Director: Katja von Garnier
Screenplay: Ruth Toma, based on the book of the same name by Hape Kerkeling
Cast: Ludwig Simon, Devid Striesow, Ursula Werner

A historical triad of love, identity, and freedom.

THE LOVING PARENTS - 800,000 euros

Production: Constantin Film, Munich
Distributor: Constantin
Director: Sönke Wortmann
Screenplay: Gernot Gricksch and Sönke Wortmann, adapted from the French play and film of the same name by Emmanuel Patron
Cast: Anke Engelke, Peter Kurth, Merlin Sandmeyer, Doris Plenert

A biting comedy about family, money, and the true value of happiness.

LIEBESGEISTER - 800,000 euros

Production: Made in Germany, Cologne
Co-production: Beauvoir Films, Switzerland
Distributor: Grandfilm
Broadcasters: WDR, Arte
Director: Benjamin Heisenberg
Screenplay: Peter Bösenberg
Cast: Valerie Pachner, Anders Danielsen Lie

Katie is in a happy relationship with Frank—or so she thinks. Until one day, Frank simply disappears from her life. The project has already received funding for the screenplay and pre-production.

THE MAN IN THE ROOM - 750,000 euros

Production: Wunderlust, Cologne
Co-production: Sagafilm, Iceland; Red Lion, Luxembourg
Distributor: jip Film & Verleih
Broadcaster: ZDF/Arte
Director, Screenplay: María Sólrún
Cast: Elisabeth Johannesdottir, Magnús Maríuson

Police officer Sonja unexpectedly decides to let Wilhelm—whom she finds in her storage room, where he’s going through withdrawal—stay and hide him from her boyfriend.

GERMANIACS - 650,000 euros

Production: Komplizen Film, Berlin
Distributor: Port au Prince
Broadcaster: SWR/Arte
Written and Directed by: Arkadij Khaet, Mickey Paatzsch
Cast: Anke Engelke

On their journey through Germany, a horror writer and his girlfriend realize how quickly identity becomes a performance and how any image of “being Jewish” can turn into a trap.

GENAU DU - 650,000 euros

Production: Zeitsprung Pictures, Cologne
Distributor: Wild Bunch
Broadcasters: WDR, Arte
Director: Andreas Kleinert
Screenplay: Thomas Wendrich
Cast: Verena Altenberger, Aaron Altaras

In a so-called apocalyptic era, two people fall in love in a way the world has never seen before. And hope begins to sprout that perhaps all is not lost after all.

PALME.GARDINE.TOTE FLIEGE. - 500,000 euros

Production: eitelsonnenschein, Cologne
Distributor: Salzgeber
Broadcasters: WDR, Arte, SWR
Director, Screenplay: Gina Wenzel
Cast: Hans Löw, Noah Meskina, Martin Feifel, Lina Beckmann, Ursula Werner

Frank, a gay hairdresser, is stuck working at a stuffy salon. When Ayham, a young Syrian man, starts there as an intern, an unexpected friendship develops. The film, which has already received a screenplay grant, is inspired by a true story.

5 LIFEHACKS TO FALL APART AND BE SPREAD BY THE WIND - 400,000 euros

Production: Schiwago Film, Berlin
Distributor: UCM.ONE
Broadcaster: WDR
Director: Jelena Ilić
Screenplay: Cécil Joyce Röski
Cast: Luna Jordan, Thit Aarberg, Lina Beckmann

A penny-pincher, an old punk, a kid who wants to be Ludwig II, and an office-based pop singer stumble through a precarious Germany, searching for dignity, connection, and a glimmer of a future.

I WOKE UP AS A BEAST - 340,000 euros

Production: Leitwolf Filmproduktion, Hamburg
Distributor: Filmwelt
Broadcaster: WDR
Director, Screenplay: Sandra Schröder
Cast: Mariella Aumann, Jonas Nay, Ricarda Seifried

Fifteen-year-old Margo, who has lost one parent, moves in with her father, whom she has never met, who organizes illegal dogfights. To win his love, she enters his brutal world. The project has already received a screenplay grant.

Documentary

IN THE RHYTHM OF THE SOMERSault - 100,000 euros

Production: Britzka Studio, Bielefeld
Co-production: Britzka Film, Berlin
Distributor: Salzgeber
Broadcaster: WDR/3sat, RBB
Director, Screenplay: Britta Wauer

German expressive dancer Anni Sauer led a children’s ensemble in East Berlin in her later years. As a Jewish woman fleeing the Nazis, she became a victim of Stalin. The project, which was awarded a Wim Wenders grant, uses AI to unravel the mystery of her life.

Series

COGA - BATTLE AFTER BATTLE (Series, 8x30 minutes) - 1,500,000 euros

Production: Traumfabrik Babelsberg, Berlin
Broadcaster: RTL
Writer: Yves Hensel

Max Coga, the son of a strip club owner and a stripper, gets the chance of a lifetime: a professional career in mixed martial arts. The series is inspired by the life of the real Max Coga and is produced with his involvement.

THE DOUBTERS (Series, 6x45 minutes) - 1,500,000 euros

Production: Turbokultur, Berlin
Broadcaster: ARD Degeto
Directors: David Hadda, Lauro Cress
Screenplay: David Hadda, Sarah Hadda, Juri Sternburg
Cast: Aaron Altaras, Sunnyi Melles, Dov Glickman

After the disappearance of their grandparents, the Zweifler family is plunged into chaos: financial problems, old secrets, and family conflicts.

SIEBZEHN (Series, 14 episodes of 20 minutes each) - 1,400,000 euros

Production: Nordpolaris, Munich
Broadcaster: ARD Degeto Directors: Daniel Rakete Siegel, Denis Moschitto
Screenplay: Juri Sternburg, Ecem Çalişir, Burak Yilmaz, Hassan Akkouch

14 days in Duisburg-Marxloh. The focus is on four teenagers whose lives are turned upside down after an accident. 14 episodes as a countdown. The series has already received pre-production funding.

PÖTTE IN DEN POTT (documentary series, 5x35 minutes) – 300,000 euros

Production: Gruppe 5 Filmproduktion, Cologne
Broadcaster: ZDF
Director: Christian Twente
Screenplay: Markus Brauckmann
Featuring: Ottmar Hitzfeld, Matthias Sammer, Lars Ricken, Claudia Neumann, Huub Stevens

In 1997, two historic soccer clubs from the Ruhr region took Europe by storm. Within eight days, BVB and S04 pulled off shocking upsets by winning their final matches against overwhelmingly powerful major clubs. Friends and soccer players united—the hardworking miners whose jobs underground were being cut—found new hope and self-confidence.

Screenplay Grant

THE SUN IS SHINING – 20,000 euros

Production: Zeitsprung, Cologne
Screenplay: Hannah and Raymond Ley

A tragic drama about the attack on the Sonnenblumenhaus in Rostock in 1992 and the days-long wave of xenophobia, as seen through the eyes of four people caught up in the events.

WHAT NO ONE SEES - 20,000 euros

Screenplay: Angela Gilges
Director: Karin Heberlein

A teacher suspects child abuse involving one of her students and must confront the difficulties of making such an accusation as well as her own inner demons. Does she see what no one else sees, or does her own trauma make her see what she wants to see?

Pre-production

INVASIVE SPECIES - 50,000 euros

Production: Color of May, Cologne
Director, Screenplay: Alejandro Mathé

A biting Christmas satire set under the Spanish sun, in which preparations for a wealthy German family’s Christmas Eve dinner in Ibiza take a chaotic turn when their staff begins to question the status quo.

Post-production funding

GLETSCHERGRAB 2 - TEARS OF THE WOLF - 250,000 euros

Production: Splendid Entertainment, Cologne
Co-production: Take Two Studios, Finland; Sagafilm, Iceland
Distributor: Splendid Film
Director: Jyri Kähönen
Screenplay: Martein Thorrison
Cast: Vivian Olafsdottir, Jack Fox

Kristin and Steve embark once again on a treasure hunt across Europe.

Distributor

HORST SCHLÄMMER SEARCHES FOR LUCK - 80,000 euros
Distributor: Leonine Distribution, Munich
Theatrical release: March 26, 2026

THE PARENTS - 50,000 euros
Distributor: Constantin Film Distribution, Munich
Theatrical Release: February 12, 2026

DEAD OF WINTER – ICY SILENCE – 50,000 euros
Distributor: Leonine Distribution, Munich
Theatrical release: February 19, 2026

MY FRIEND BARRY - 50,000 euros
Distributor: Wild Bunch, Munich
Theatrical release: March 19, 2026

LIES ABOUT MY MOTHER - 50,000 euros
Distributor: Tobis Film, Berlin
Theatrical release: April 9, 2026
ON THE WAVE - 30,000 euros Distributor : mindjazz, Cologne
Theatrical release: March 5, 2026

NIGHT & DAY - 30,000 euros
Distributor: Wild Bunch Germany, Munich
Theatrical release: May 14, 2026

ON THE BORDER - 25,000 euros Distributor : Cine Global, Munich
Theatrical release: March 19, 2026
2m2 - 20,000 euros Distributor : Cologne Cine Collective, Cologne
Theatrical release: May 14, 2026

Film Funding

WESTFALEN-LIPPE CHILDREN’S FILM CIRCUIT - 53,540 euros

BAMBI, DÜSSELDORF – 15,000 euros

WOKI, BONN - 50,000 euros