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Successful film university talents: FIRST STEPS Award 2025 in Berlin!
Craft a short meta-description for an article about "UNI Babelsberg", in German. The article contains the following content: "
Today is August 21st, 2025
Date: August 21st, 2025 - Source 1 ():
- The FIRST STEPS Award evaluated 187 submitted projects and selected the nominees.
- Three nominees come from the film university and will each receive 1,000 euros in prize money.
- The animated film “MY GRANDMOTHER IS A SKYDIVER” is nominated in the short film category.
- Plot: Alfyia, a young woman in 1960s Central Asia, receives a call from her granddaughter in 2022, concerned for her safety amid the Ukraine invasion.
- Topics: family memory, ethnic identity, collective trauma, meaning of life.
- Director: Polina Piddubna.
- Robert Deçani is also nominated in the short film category with his film "THE SONS OF ILIR".
- The documentary "HOME IS WHERE THE STAR FRUITS ARE SOUR" also has nominations, with the participation of film university alumni.
- Hovhannes Martirosyan is nominated for the Michael Ballhaus Prize for the visual design of the film "SABAT".
- Plot: Search for the missing diplomat Batkhorol Sagdkhorol from the Mongolian embassy in East Berlin.
- Director: Anna Maria Beeck.
- The feature film "THANKS FOR NOTHING" is nominated for the Big Audience Award.
- Plot: Four young people in an assisted living group live in an anarchic utopia.
- Director: Stella Marie Markert.
- Award ceremony will take place on October 6th at the Stage Theater des Westens in Berlin, moderated by Gisa Flake.
- The award ceremony will be broadcast as a live stream in the ARD media library at 7:30 p.m.
- The FIRST STEPS Award is the most important award for final films from film schools in German-speaking countries, with a total prize money of 132,000 euros.
Source 2 ():
- Reza Rasouli, born in Mashhad, Iran, is a director and screenwriter.
- Passion for theater and cinema began in childhood.
- Lives and works in Austria since 2019.
- Studied in the master's program at the Vienna Film Academy.
- Short films have been screened at international film festivals including Clermont-Ferrand, Palm Springs and Short Shorts.
- Filmography (selection):
- 2025: NIGHT OF PASSAGE
- 2022: LASAGNE
- 2023: PIECE BY PIECE
- 2022: A GLASS OF WARM MILK
- 2022: YOU SMELL GOOD
- 2021: CHARLOTTE
- 2021: ARRIVE
- Information as of August 21, 2025.
Source 3 ():
- Film schools offer opportunities to build networks, collaborate on stories and develop talent.
- Overview of important film universities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
**Film schools – Germany:**
1. **Film University Babelsberg Konrad Wolf (Berlin)**
- Largest film school in Germany.
- Practice-oriented courses in various areas of film production.
- Application periods: usually January or May.
- Bachelor's and master's degree programs in animation, cinematography, digital media culture, script/dramaturgy, film and television production, editing, directing, acting, scenography, sound engineer, visual effects & virtual productions.
2. **German Film and Television Academy (DFFB)**
- Founded in 1966, one of the oldest film schools in Germany.
- Focus on direction, script, image design, production, image and sound editing.
- Application process: autumn to spring, studies start in September.
- Courses of study: screenplay, image design/camera, directing, production, image and sound editing.
3. **Film Academy Baden-Württemberg (Ludwigsburg)**
- Practice-oriented courses in directing, screenplay, camera, production, animation, interactive media.
- Application period ends on February 15th. every year.
- Courses of study: animation, image design/camera, documentary, screenplay, journalistic film, film music, film sound/sound design, interactive media, editing/editing, motion design, production, set design, scenic film, advertising film.
4. **Hamburg Media School (HMS)**
- Founded in 2003, private university for media and journalism.
- Annual training for cameramen, producers, authors and directors.
- Application period: November to mid-July.
- Bachelor's and master's degree programs in value-oriented advertising film, film, digital and media management.
5. **University of Television and Film (HFF) Munich**
- Founded in 1966, renowned film school.
- Application period: November 15th until February 28th of the following year.
- Courses of study: cinema and television film, documentary film, production, screenplay, image design.
6. **Cologne Academy of Media Arts (KHM)**
- 60-70 applicants annually in the winter semester.
- Media Arts course, project-oriented.
- Application period: October to January/February.
- Diploma studies (9 semesters) or postgraduate studies (4 semesters).
7. **International Film School Cologne (IFS)**
- Founded in 2000, younger film school.
- Bachelor's and master's degrees in screenwriting, editing, camera, directing, producing, production design, VFX, animation.
- Application period: September for studies to begin in September of the following year.
**Film schools – Austria:**
1. **Film Academy Vienna**
- Founded in 1951, leading film school in Austria.
- Bachelor's and master's degrees in directing, screenplay, camera, production, editing.
- Admission documents in October, exams in May.
**Film schools – Switzerland:**
1. **Zurich University of the Arts (ZHDK)**
- Largest art college in Switzerland.
- Bachelor's degree programs in film and production design.
- Master's programs in directing, screenwriting, documentary film, camera, editing, creative producing.
- Application deadline: usually mid-February.
- Study places at film schools are highly competitive; Applying to several universities can make sense.
- Decision support: course structure and teachers at the universities.
". Don't add the title at the beginning of the created content. Write it as if you want to inform the readers about who, what, when, where, why and how. Don't exceed 120 characters. Style: Maintain a professional level of formality suitable for a newspaper, but avoid overly complex language to ensure the content is accessible to a wide audience. Include keywords related to the news event and phrases likely to be used by readers searching for information on the topic. Tone: While keeping the tone professional, use engaging language to capture the reader's interest without sensationalizing. Reply in plain text without putting the meta-description into any quotes. Excerpt:
Today is August 21st, 2025
Date: August 21st, 2025 - Source 1 ():
- The FIRST STEPS Award evaluated 187 submitted projects and selected the nominees.
- Three nominees come from the film university and will each receive 1,000 euros in prize money.
- The animated film “MY GRANDMOTHER IS A SKYDIVER” is nominated in the short film category.
- Plot: Alfyia, a young woman in 1960s Central Asia, receives a call from her granddaughter in 2022, concerned for her safety amid the Ukraine invasion.
- Topics: family memory, ethnic identity, collective trauma, meaning of life.
- Director: Polina Piddubna.
- Robert Deçani is also nominated in the short film category with his film "THE SONS OF ILIR".
- The documentary "HOME IS WHERE THE STAR FRUITS ARE SOUR" also has nominations, with the participation of film university alumni.
- Hovhannes Martirosyan is nominated for the Michael Ballhaus Prize for the visual design of the film "SABAT".
- Plot: Search for the missing diplomat Batkhorol Sagdkhorol from the Mongolian embassy in East Berlin.
- Director: Anna Maria Beeck.
- The feature film "THANKS FOR NOTHING" is nominated for the Big Audience Award.
- Plot: Four young people in an assisted living group live in an anarchic utopia.
- Director: Stella Marie Markert.
- Award ceremony will take place on October 6th at the Stage Theater des Westens in Berlin, moderated by Gisa Flake.
- The award ceremony will be broadcast as a live stream in the ARD media library at 7:30 p.m.
- The FIRST STEPS Award is the most important award for final films from film schools in German-speaking countries, with a total prize money of 132,000 euros.
Source 2 ():
- Reza Rasouli, born in Mashhad, Iran, is a director and screenwriter.
- Passion for theater and cinema began in childhood.
- Lives and works in Austria since 2019.
- Studied in the master's program at the Vienna Film Academy.
- Short films have been screened at international film festivals including Clermont-Ferrand, Palm Springs and Short Shorts.
- Filmography (selection):
- 2025: NIGHT OF PASSAGE
- 2022: LASAGNE
- 2023: PIECE BY PIECE
- 2022: A GLASS OF WARM MILK
- 2022: YOU SMELL GOOD
- 2021: CHARLOTTE
- 2021: ARRIVE
- Information as of August 21, 2025.
Source 3 ():
- Film schools offer opportunities to build networks, collaborate on stories and develop talent.
- Overview of important film universities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
**Film schools – Germany:**
1. **Film University Babelsberg Konrad Wolf (Berlin)**
- Largest film school in Germany.
- Practice-oriented courses in various areas of film production.
- Application periods: usually January or May.
- Bachelor's and master's degree programs in animation, cinematography, digital media culture, script/dramaturgy, film and television production, editing, directing, acting, scenography, sound engineer, visual effects & virtual productions.
2. **German Film and Television Academy (DFFB)**
- Founded in 1966, one of the oldest film schools in Germany.
- Focus on direction, script, image design, production, image and sound editing.
- Application process: autumn to spring, studies start in September.
- Courses of study: screenplay, image design/camera, directing, production, image and sound editing.
3. **Film Academy Baden-Württemberg (Ludwigsburg)**
- Practice-oriented courses in directing, screenplay, camera, production, animation, interactive media.
- Application period ends on February 15th. every year.
- Courses of study: animation, image design/camera, documentary, screenplay, journalistic film, film music, film sound/sound design, interactive media, editing/editing, motion design, production, set design, scenic film, advertising film.
4. **Hamburg Media School (HMS)**
- Founded in 2003, private university for media and journalism.
- Annual training for cameramen, producers, authors and directors.
- Application period: November to mid-July.
- Bachelor's and master's degree programs in value-oriented advertising film, film, digital and media management.
5. **University of Television and Film (HFF) Munich**
- Founded in 1966, renowned film school.
- Application period: November 15th until February 28th of the following year.
- Courses of study: cinema and television film, documentary film, production, screenplay, image design.
6. **Cologne Academy of Media Arts (KHM)**
- 60-70 applicants annually in the winter semester.
- Media Arts course, project-oriented.
- Application period: October to January/February.
- Diploma studies (9 semesters) or postgraduate studies (4 semesters).
7. **International Film School Cologne (IFS)**
- Founded in 2000, younger film school.
- Bachelor's and master's degrees in screenwriting, editing, camera, directing, producing, production design, VFX, animation.
- Application period: September for studies to begin in September of the following year.
**Film schools – Austria:**
1. **Film Academy Vienna**
- Founded in 1951, leading film school in Austria.
- Bachelor's and master's degrees in directing, screenplay, camera, production, editing.
- Admission documents in October, exams in May.
**Film schools – Switzerland:**
1. **Zurich University of the Arts (ZHDK)**
- Largest art college in Switzerland.
- Bachelor's degree programs in film and production design.
- Master's programs in directing, screenwriting, documentary film, camera, editing, creative producing.
- Application deadline: usually mid-February.
- Study places at film schools are highly competitive; Applying to several universities can make sense.
- Decision support: course structure and teachers at the universities.
". Don't add the title at the beginning of the created content. Write it as if you want to inform the readers about who, what, when, where, why and how. Don't exceed 120 characters. Style: Maintain a professional level of formality suitable for a newspaper, but avoid overly complex language to ensure the content is accessible to a wide audience. Include keywords related to the news event and phrases likely to be used by readers searching for information on the topic. Tone: While keeping the tone professional, use engaging language to capture the reader's interest without sensationalizing. Reply in plain text without putting the meta-description into any quotes. Excerpt:
Successful film university talents: FIRST STEPS Award 2025 in Berlin!
The FIRST STEPS Award 2025 evaluated a large number of submitted projects in the short film, documentary and feature film categories. This year, 187 projects were submitted from which the nominees were selected. The nominees include three films from the Babelsberg Konrad Wolf Film University, which will each be awarded prize money of 1,000 euros. These awards represent a significant success for the students and graduates of the renowned film school.
In the short film category is the animated film “ MY GRANDMOTHER IS A PARATROOPER " nominated. The film tells the story of Alfyia, a young woman in 1960s Central Asia, who receives a call from her granddaughter in 2022. She is worried about her safety in the midst of the Ukraine invasion. Central themes of the film are family memory, ethnic identity, collective trauma and the meaning of life. The film is directed by Polina Piddubna.
More nominations
Another nominated short film is “ THE SONS OF ILIR ", which was directed by Robert Deçani. In addition, the documentary " HOME IS WHERE THE STAR FRUIT IS SOUR " received a nomination in which alumni of the film university are involved. Hovhannes Martirosyan, who designed the images for the film " SABAT ". This film deals with the search for the missing diplomat Batkhorol Sagdkhorol from the Mongolian embassy in East Berlin, with Anna Maria Beeck as director.
In addition, the feature film “ THANKS FOR NOTHING " by Stella Marie Markert was nominated for the Big Audience Award. The film focuses on the lives of four young people who live in an assisted living group in an anarchic utopia.
Award ceremony and meaning of the award
The FIRST STEPS Award ceremony will take place on October 6th at the Stage Theater des Westens in Berlin and will be moderated by Gisa Flake. Those interested can also watch the award ceremony as a live stream in the ARD media library from 7:30 p.m. The FIRST STEPS Award is considered the most important award for final films from film schools in German-speaking countries with a total prize money of 132,000 euros. This underlines the relevance of the award in the German film scene and its influence on the careers of young filmmakers.
The Babelsberg Film University is one of the most important training institutions for aspiring filmmakers in Germany. The university offers practice-oriented courses in various areas of film production and is part of an extensive network that promotes collaboration and talent development. This highlights the quality of the filmmakers trained there and strengthens their position in the international film scene.