At the 22nd achtung berlin Film Festival (15–22 April 2026), the ecumenical jury awarded their prize of €2,000 – donated by the Archdiocese of Berlin and the Evangelical Church of Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia (EKBO) – to the feature film *Sechswochenamt* (approx. "mourning period") by Jacqueline Jansen (Germany 2025). The jury also awarded a Special Mention to the documentary ‘Schwarze Häuser’ (Black Houses) by Katrin Sikora (Germany 2026).
The jury’s motivation for their award was: “Life that comes and life that goes changes us forever. This film portrays the mourning period in a unique way. Through realistic yet poetic imagery, the director depicts the bureaucratic and emotional grappling with family, traditions and rituals. The protagonist allows us to share in her grieving process in a calm and unhurried manner, characterised by (a lack of) communication and the effort to do things right – but in her own way. This film offers a variety of opportunities to discover one’s own attitude towards loss, death, grief and life.”
Regarding “Schwarze Häuser”, the jury’s statement reads: ‘As a jury, we would like to give a special mention to a film which, through impressive cinematic design and creative treatment, brings to light a long-suppressed chapter of German history concerning the ‘Verschickungskinder’ (children sent away) and transfers it into a culture of collective memory. The film BLACK HOUSES is of great social relevance. We hope this subject will receive greater public visibility.’
Founded in 2005, the film festival – which also goes by the name achtung berlin – new berlin film award – showcases young German cinema from Berlin and Brandenburg. The ecumenical jury has been in place since 2008. Eleven feature films from across all sections were nominated for their award. The members of the 2026 jury were Monika Klapczynski, Head of the Media Education Department at the Archdiocese of Berlin; Paula Nowak, Director of Studies for Religious Education and Media Didactics at the EKBO; Charlotte Kühn, a teacher of Protestant religious education in Berlin; and Nir Ferber, a film scholar.