Director Julia Roesler is the winner of the German Cinema New Talent Award 2025. Her film LUISA convinced the jury at the Hof International Film Festival with its impressive narrative style and sensitive staging.
The prize has been awarded since 2012 to filmmakers for their first to third feature films produced in Germany. The award is endowed with 10,000 euros and is donated by Bavaria Film, Bayerischer Rundfunk and DZ Bank.
This year, the jury members Lukas Röder (director and author), Joyce Sanhá (actress) and Roshanak Behesht Nedjad (producer) decided on the award winners.
A film about love, crossing boundaries and inner strength
In its statement, the jury praised LUISA as a film that "shows a protagonist who loves – and whose love is exploited". The work provides an intensive look into life in a residential home for people with disabilities and addresses the topic of with great sensitivity the boundaries between closeness, trust and Abuse.
The jury praised Roesler's ability to create "an enormous dramaturgical Capture the height of the fall in precise images without giving simple answers and without reducing the main character to a victim role".
About the director
Julia Roesler was born in Göttingen in 1978. She studied Cultural Studies and Aesthetic Practice, completed guest studies in Freiburg and Argentina and now works as a freelancer director for theatre and film and as a lecturer at various universities.
Honorable Mentions
In addition to the main prize, the jury gave honorable mentions to two other films:
"COSÌ COM'É" by Antonello Scarpelli
"FREE" by Max Hegewald
A total of 14 films were nominated for the German Cinema New Talent Award 2025, including productions from Germany, Italy and Austria.
About the film
Luisa
Julia Roesler, 94min
dt. OV with engl. CC
Free
Max Hegewald, 116min
dt. OV with engl. CC
As It Is
Antonello Scarpelli, 84min
it., dt., engl. OV with dt. CC
Published on: October 23, 2025
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