‘Sound of Falling’ Sweeps the German Film Awards

Mascha Schilinski’s critically acclaimed drama “Sound of Falling” dominated the 76th German Film Awards on Wednesday, cementing its status as the ceremony’s biggest winner with seven major prizes, including the top honor for Best Feature Film.

The film, which led all contenders with 11 nominations, validated expectations by taking home awards across the board: Best Directing, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Sound Design, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Feature Film.

“Sound of Falling”—released in German as In die Sonne schauen—marks a triumphant moment for the 41-year-old filmmaker Schilinski. The nearly two-and-a-half-hour lyrical drama, which premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival where it won the Jury Prize, explores girlhood, desire, and abuse across multiple time periods on a German farm.

The film’s accolades have been mounting throughout awards season. Beyond its Cannes victory, it took home Best Director and Best Sound at the Chicago International Film Festival in 2025, and Best Costume Design at the European Film Awards earlier this year. It’s also Germany’s official submission for Best International Feature at the upcoming Academy Awards.

The ceremony, held May 29 at Berlin’s Palais am Funkturm, marked the second time actor and director Christian Friedel hosted the German Film Academy’s most prestigious annual event, which was broadcast live on ARD.

The competition was fierce. Berlin Film Festival winner “Yellow Letters” finished as runner-up with nine nominations, while “Ach, diese Lücke, diese entsetzliche Lücke” and “The Disappearance of Josef Mengele” each earned seven nominations.