Nine FABW Students Receive Germany Scholarship

Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg (FABW) has once again awarded nine Germany Scholarships („Deuschland-Stipendien“) this year, following a record number of 40 applications. The eight sponsoring companies and private individuals, together with the Ludwigsburg-based Filmakademie, are thus sending a clear signal of their support for young talent – even in economically challenging times. All scholarship recipients are distinguished by their outstanding achievements and exceptional commitment.

Germany Scholarship: A success story since 2011

Since the introduction of the Germany Scholarship in 2011, FABW has been part of the nationwide programme to support talented students. With €300 per month, recipients receive financial support regardless of their income, allowing them to concentrate fully on their studies. Half of the funding comes from private donors and half from the federal government.

This year, fourth-year students from all departments of FABW and its Animationinstitut were eligible to apply. Long-standing supporters of the programme include Kreissparkasse Ludwigsburg, which has backed the Germany Scholarship since its inception, and Ludwigsburg resident Gabriele Kuhn, who has been contributing with great dedication as a private individual for eight years. A new partner joining this year is MadeFor Film GmbH.

When awarding the scholarships, consideration is given not only to first-class grades but also to social engagement, outstanding personal achievements and the applicant’s social and family circumstances. This holistic understanding of the concept of achievement is part of the philosophy of the Deutschlandstipendium and aims to open up educational opportunities for young talents regardless of their financial background.

The awarding of the Germany Scholarships at Filmakademie in 2026 is made possible by funding from the following eight donors (in alphabetical order):

• City of Ludwigsburg, Economic Development Department
• Constantin Film
• Kreissparkasse Ludwigsburg
• Gabriele Kuhn in Memoriam Rudolf Kuhn
• MadeFor Film GmbH
• SERU Animation GmbH & Co. KG
• UFA GmbH
• YTF Young Talent Foundation Berlin gGmbH

 

The following students will receive a Germany Scholarship in 2026:

• Sejad Ademaj (Directing/Fiction Film) - YTF Young Talent Foundation Berlin gGmbH
• Josia Brezing (Directing/Fiction Film) - YTF Young Talent Foundation Berlin gGmbH
• Anja Giele (Directing/Advertising Film) - City of Ludwigsburg, Economic Development Department
• Vadims Ivanovs (animation) - Gabriele Kuhn in Memoriam Rudolf Kuhn
• Eve Lamell (Screenwriting) - UFA GmbH
• Soraya Szendi (Production) - MadeFor Film GmbH
• Kea Wagner (Directing/Fiction Film) - Constantin Film
• Fatima Wajid (Animation) - SERU Animation GmbH & Co. KG
• Aria Wolf (Transmedia/Games Directing) - Kreissparkasse Ludwigsburg

The presentation of the certificates to the scholarship recipients by the donors took place in the run-up to the Caligari Awards ceremony as part of a get-together on Wednesday, 15 April 2025 at Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg in Ludwigsburg.

The Germany Scholarship makes a valuable contribution to the promotion of creative talent. FABW would like to thank all sponsors and looks forward to continuing to support young filmmakers on their journey.

Picture: FABW / Miriam Schlünkes; caption:
Standing, from left: Kea Wagner, Anja Käumle (PR & Communications, MadeFor Film), Friederich Oetker (Producer at Constantin Film), Sebastian Runschke (Managing Director, SERU Animation), Fatima Wajid, Vadims Ivanovs, Soraya Szendi, Christian Müller (Talent Initiatives & Productions Beyond Study, FABW), Sejad Ademaj, Gabriele Kuhn (private donor), Lars Frommer (Deputy Head of Economic Development, City of Ludwigsburg), Josia Brezing, Isabel Kurz (Head of the Executive Board Staff and Press Spokesperson, Kreissparkasse Ludwigsburg)
Kneeling from left: Heide Thon (Germany Scholarship Coordination, FABW), Eve Lamell, Prof. Dr Andreas Bareiß (Managing Director of FABW), Aria Wolf

City of Ludwigsburg, Economic Development Department
The Economic Development Department is the central point of contact for entrepreneurs, founders, start-ups, craftsmen, creative professionals and people interested in Ludwigsburg as a business location. It advises on all matters relating to Ludwigsburg as a (creative) business location. Ludwigsburg's creative business scene is one of the special features that characterise the location. Particularly noteworthy are the areas of film, animation/VR/AR/games, communication and advertising agencies, design and IT. It is the central point of contact for all creative professionals in Ludwigsburg and those who would like to come to Ludwigsburg.
www.ludwigsburg.de/start/wirtschaft+und+innovation/wirtschaftsfoerderung.html

Constantin Film
For over 75 years, Constantin Film has been a hallmark of quality, shaping the landscape of cinema and making a lasting impression on the global stage. Reinvigorated under the visionary leadership of Bernd Eichinger in 1979, Constantin Film has become the most successful independent production and distribution company in the German media industry. The company is headquartered in Munich, with offices in Berlin and Los Angeles among others around the globe. With expertise in German and English-language theatrical production, distribution, home entertainment, licensing and television production, Constantin Film has cultivated a diverse and enduring portfolio that resonates with audiences worldwide. The company has built a reputation for delivering high-quality commercial and award-winning entertainment across all genres and creating strong intellectual property universes and ongoing franchises.
Recent titles include REGRETTING YOU which was one of the best performing independent films of 2025. Constantin Film produced the movie and Paramount Pictures released in the US and throughout much of the world. The company's film catalogue includes timeless classics such as THE NEVERENDING STORY and THE NAME OF THE ROSE. Upcoming is Zach Cregger’s RESIDENT EVIL, starring Austin Abrams, Paul Walter Hauser, Zach Cherry, Kali Reiss and Johnno Wilson. Produced and co-financed by Constantin Film, Sony Pictures Entertainment is releasing the film in the US and around the world in September excluding German speaking territories where Constantin Film will handle the release.
www.constantin.film

Gabriele Kuhn
I have lived in Ludwigsburg since 1996. I soon had a good connection to Filmakademie through various personal contacts. Since my retirement, I have been involved in various areas for people on the fringes of society. What I like about the Deutschlandstipendium,
... that it supports gifted students,
... that my donation is doubled by a ministry,
... that I support a school (FABW) that has been doing excellent work for 35 years, which is reflected in numerous national and international awards,
... that I can remember my late husband with the Rudolf Kuhn Scholarship.

Kreissparkasse Ludwigsburg
As a regional credit institution under public law, Kreissparkasse Ludwigsburg is uniquely connected to the district of Ludwigsburg, its people, communities, institutions, companies and SMEs. We see our special contribution in our comprehensive range of services for all people in the district, our involvement in public life, the promotion of encounters and dialogue as well as activities in the areas of culture, sport, science and business. We act sustainably - economically, ecologically and socially. The Kreissparkasse has been supporting German scholarships at universities in the district for many years and has in the meantime provided a total of around € 76,500 for these 43 German scholarships.
www.ksklb.de

MadeFor Film
MadeFor was founded in 2020 and is a film production company with offices in Berlin, Munich, and Cologne. As part of the Banijay Germany Group, the team at MadeFor – led by Nanni Erben and Gunnar Juncken – develops, produces, and finances award-winning premium content for streaming platforms, public and private broadcasters, as well as for theatrical release.
Working in collaboration with top-tier creatives, the company produces both scripted and documentary content. Its portfolio includes the multiple award-winning TATORT episodes from Dresden, Weimar, and Berlin; thrillers like DÜNENTOD – EIN NORDSEEKRIMI and DAS DUNKLE VERMÄCHTNIS; and international series such as THEN YOU RUN and HOW TO KILL YOUR SISTER or the high-end mystery-series SEELENDORF (working title).
Ralf Husmann’s comedies, including MERZ GEGEN MERZ, DIE BACHMANNS, ALLES GELOGEN, EIN GANZ GROSSES DING and the feature film STROMBERG – DER NEUE FILM. The children’s feature film DAS GEHEIMNIS DER GESTOHLENEN MASKE broadens the range, as do the new series DER LEHRER, the screen adaptation of Iris Sayram’s autobiographical novel FÜR EUCH (working title), the mountain series MARIE FÄNGT FEUER, the queer young-adult series LOVING HER, documentary formats such as DIANAS LETZTE NACHT and the docuseries HERBERTSTRASSE – GESCHICHTE EINER DOMINA, as well as comedy series like FRAU JORDAN STELLT GLEICH and MIRELLA SCHULZE RETTET DIE WELT, and much more.
madefor.film

SERU Animation GmbH & Co. KG
SERU Animation is a leading animation production company specialising in the creation of animated films and TV series. With its headquarters in Ludwigsburg and an independent creative team and studio in Hanover, SERU offers end-to-end production services for European and internationally financed projects, with a commitment to high creative and qualitative standards.
Under the leadership of founder and managing director Sebastian Runschke, SERU is also committed to social and environmental sustainability in producing high-quality animation.
SERU Animation acted as a co-producer for international hits such as MY FAIRY TROUBLEMAKER and the successful RABBIT ACADEMY film franchise. With current projects like THE ELFKINS – BAKE-OFF TOGETHER!, SERU Animation continues to deliver high-quality productions for the global market.
www.seru-animation.com

UFA GmbH
UFA is one of the world’s oldest and most renowned entertainment brands, with over 100 years of film and television history behind it. As the parent company of the German production activities of Fremantle, a subsidiary of the RTL Group, it is one of Germany’s leading programme creators and captivates millions of viewers every day with its content.
Operating under the UFA umbrella are the units UFA Fiction, UFA Serial Drama, UFA Show & Factual, UFA Documentary and UFA Mitte, which cover a broad portfolio of fiction, series, shows, factual and documentary formats. With more than 30 long-running programme brands and numerous successful formats, UFA stands for creative diversity, quality and innovative strength – both in traditional television and in the digital and multimedia environment.
www.ufa.de

YTF Young Talent Foundation Berlin gGmbH
The YTF Young Talent Foundation Berlin (YTF Berlin), founded in early 2022, is a non-profit organisation aiming to financially support young film talent in Germany of all nationalities. Founder and managing director Armin Schneider also mentors the supported talents ideally with his network and the industry knowledge gained from a career of over 30 years in marketing international cinema successes.
www.ytfberlin.de