1600 guests expected
The German Film Prize Lola is awarded – this is what you should know about it
The Lola Film Prize is being awarded for the 72nd time
© Gerald Matzka / DPA
It’s that time again: the German film prize Lola is being awarded. A total of 19 categories will be awarded at the event. According to the organizers, there should not be a scandal like the one at the Berlinale.
Which film will win the Golden Lola? Will the drama “Die” take home the award for best feature film or will the multiverse thriller “The Theory of Everything”? With the The German Film Prize, one of the industry’s most important awards, will be presented this Friday evening in Berlin. Around 1,600 guests are expected at the ceremony at Potsdamer Platz, including actresses such as Sandra Hülser and Jella Haase and actor Florian David Fitz.
“Die” by Matthias Glasner about a broken family is in the running with nine and therefore the most nominations – including the Golden Lola. In addition to Timm Kröger’s “The Theory of Everything”, the drama faces competition from four other productions. These include the historical film “The Fox” by Adrian Goiginger about a soldier and a fox in World War II and the film adaptation “A Whole Life” by Hans Steinbichler based on a novel by Robert Seethaler. The political thriller “Im dead Winkel” by Ayşe Polat and “Elaha” by Milena Aboyan about the self-determination of a young German-Kurdish woman also have a chance of winning the Golden Lola.
The evening on Friday will be led by a moderation ensemble that includes, among others, actress Jasna Fritzi Bauer (“Tatort”) and actor Jürgen Vogel (“Caveman”). Das Erste will broadcast the award ceremony live in the media library at 7:30 p.m. and on linear television at 10:20 p.m.
Space for film – and for politics
Director Florian Gallenberger and actress Alexandra Maria Lara together head the German Film Academy, which awards the film prize. When asked whether lessons could be learned from the debate surrounding the controversial Berlinale closing gala for the award ceremony, Gallenberger said: “My great wish and my great hope is that on May 3rd we will focus entirely on the film awards and “We can concentrate on the award ceremony and give these other very important issues the right space to discuss them, but that is not on the evening of the film awards.”
During the closing gala of the Berlinale in February, the Middle East conflict was one-sidedly discussed by jury members and award winners. In statements, for example, there was talk of apartheid in the context of the situation in the territories occupied by Israel and of genocide with a view to the army’s actions in Gaza.
“People will receive awards, they will then go to the microphone and give acceptance speeches,” said Gallenberger. “What they say in these acceptance speeches is not checked, should not be checked, is the laureates’ free decision. If there is someone there who wants to express themselves politically, then he or she will do so. The difficult thing is that this Topics are controversial, including among the members of the Academy. I really hope that we don’t end up in a situation in which these conflicts, which are already overshadowing our lives at the moment, also overshadow this evening.”
Awards in a total of 19 categories
Similar to the Oscars in the USA, the more than 2,200 members of the film academy in Germany also vote on the winners. In total, prizes will be awarded in 19 categories, including acting and directing. “The Theory of Everything” received six nominations, “The Fox” received five.
The prizes and nominations are endowed with a total of around three million euros in public money. The money comes from the house of Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth. In 2023, Ilker Çatak’s drama “The Teacher’s Room” about a conflict at a school won the Golden Lola, and the film was later nominated for an Oscar. What is already certain is that acting icon Hanna Schygulla (80) will be honored with the German Film Academy’s honorary award. The Lola for the film with the highest number of visitors goes to the film “The Three ??? – Heir of the Dragon”.