June 4, 2026

German Film Awards 2026

In the “Best Visual Effects” category at the Deutscher Filmpreis 2026 (German Film Awards 2026), Michael Wortmann (RISE) and Frank Schlegel won the LOLA for “Momo.” Michael Wortmann is a graduate of Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg’s Animationsinstitut. Also nominated in this category were VFX supervisors Max Riess and Mona Mohr (PIXOMONDO) for “Woodwalkers 2,” as well as Tomer Eshed, Dennis Rettkowski, and Frank Kaminski for “Die Schule der magischen Tiere 4” – both productions funded by MFG Baden-Württemberg.

Michael Wortmann, Frank Schlegel (not there) · MOMO I BESTE VISUELLE EFFEKTE at DEUTSCHER FILMPREIS 2026 in Berlin. Copyright: Eventpress Fuhr

Michael Klammer and Michael Wortmann at Deutscher Filmpreis 2026 Messe Berlin © Clemens Porikys

The film “In die Sonne schauen” (“Sound of Falling”) received the Golden Lola for Best Feature Film and won a total of ten Lolas. Numerous alumni of the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg were involved in the production. The awards spanned nearly all creative and technical disciplines – from directing and screenwriting to cinematography, editing, production design, costume design, makeup, and sound design. Back in 2023, directors Mascha Schilinski and Louise Peter had already received the Thomas Strittmatter Award from MFG Baden-Württemberg for the screenplay of “In die Sonne schauen”.

Conratulations to all the winn ers and nominees!

Sources: D eutscher Filmpreis | MFG

June 4, 2026

Kickstarter campaign launched for “Frieda is Changing”

Mucks! Games, award-winning three-person and female-led indie studio from Ludwigsburg, launched the Kickstarter campaign for their second title “Frieda is Changing”. A detective point & click adventure set in the isolated island village of Rausching, “Frieda is Changing” follows a young girl determined to uncover the truth behind her sister’s disappearance. But as she digs deeper, something inside her begins to change. Can the players solve the mystery before Frieda transforms into a werewolf under the next full moon?

Blending emotional storytelling with eerie atmosphere, the game explores themes of grief, anger, and transformation. Its distinct hand-drawn visual style, mirroring 90s cartoons, brings Rausching to life as a place filled with strange glances, quiet tension, and secrets lurking beneath the surface. “We wanted to create a story that feels personal, unsettling, and honest,” says the team at Mucks! Games. “Frieda is a character who doesn’t let things go – and that makes her both powerful and dangerous. The game is about what happens when emotions you’ve tried to bury refuse to stay hidden.”

The Kickstarter campaign launched on June 2, 2026, will run for 30 days with a 15.000 Euro funding goal. This will support the final stages of development, allowing the team to expand the game’s narrative depth, collaborate with additional writers, composers, and sound designers. “Frieda is Changing” is planned to release late 2026. A free demo is available on Steam.

Kickstarter Page | Steam Pa ge | Website