FABW Graduation Film SKIN ON SKIN Wins Three Awards
Three nominations, three wins – the graduation film SKIN ON SKIN from Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg was a big winner at this year’s FIRST STEPS Awards, held on October 6, 2025, in Berlin.
The 30-minute fiction film won in the categories Medium-Length Film (Director: Simon Schneckenburger), NO FEAR – Bernd Eichinger Award (Producer: Leon Döhner), and Michael Ballhaus Award for Cinematography (Cinematography: Nico Schrenk).
The film is set in an industrial slaughterhouse somewhere in Germany, where a security guard and a Bosnian worker cross paths. Their daily lives are shaped by routine, control, and isolation. A quiet, unspoken connection forms between them – along with a longing for freedom in an environment that leaves little room for humanity.
The jury was impressed by the film’s precision and emotional depth, stating in their nomination justification: “The actors are outstanding, the cinematography precise and atmospheric. A stirring film that reaches deep within.” They continued: “SKIN ON SKIN is the result of logistical excellence, artistic conviction, and genuine risk-taking.”
The film’s visually tight staging, clear cinematic approach, and authentic performances made SKIN ON SKIN one of the standout contributions of the evening. Earlier this year, the film also won the Audience Award at the Max Ophüls Prize in Saarbrücken.
Also recognised was Stella Marie Markert, alumna of Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, who received the Big Audience Award for her feature DANKE FÜR NICHTS (Filmuniversität Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF).
Another connection to the Filmakademie exists in the Götz George Talent Award: Ladina von Frisching was honoured for her performance in UNGEDULD DES HERZENS (DFFB Berlin). The film’s cinematographer, Jan David Gunther, is also a graduate of FABW.
The FIRST STEPS Awards for young talent are considered the most important award for graduation films from film schools in German-speaking countries. With a total prize fund of €132,000, it is the most highly endowed award for young talent and is presented annually in ten categories covering direction, production, cinematography, acting, and screenwriting for short, medium-length, and feature-length films, documentaries, and very short formats.
FIRST STEPS was launched in 1999 as a private initiative of the film industry by producers Bernd Eichinger and Nico Hofmann. It is organised by the German Film Academy in partnership with Amazon Studios, ARD, Netflix, Seven.One Entertainment Group, Studio Hamburg, UFA, and Warner Bros. Discovery. They all share the desire to promote young film talent in a sustainable and effective way.
* Leon Döhner and Stella Marie Markert are scholarship holders of the foundation Baden-Württemberg Stiftung and participated in an international partner programme as part of their studies.