05.11.2026 | 4.9 million euros for 31 projects
Hamburg, 5 November 2026 – At their latest meeting, the Committees of the MOIN Film Fund awarded grants totalling more than 4.9 million euros to 31 projects. Among them are “Grey Matter”, the new film by Berlinale winner Mohammad Rasoulof, the drama “Unter Palmen aus Stahl” by the directors Detlev Buck and Cüneyt Kaya, starring Helena Zengel in a leading role, and the tragicomedy “Tuna”, produced by Oma Inge Film in Hamburg.
In *strong* *Tuna* */strong* (€600,000, Oma Inge Film, Hamburg), Directors Julia Becker and Lena Krumkamp, a Hamburg-based Script Writer, send their protagonist on a journey into the desert: Nele had actually intended to win the 7-day ultra-marathon in Morocco in memory of her late partner. But when the desert proves to be a merciless opponent and a stray dog starts following her every move, she realises she cannot run away from her emotions. The film will be shot in locations including Merzouga and Hamburg. Filming is set to begin in April 2027.
Following his Oscar-nominated film *The Seed of the Holy Fig Tree*, filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof is working on his new project: in Grey Matter (€550,000, Run Way Pictures, Hamburg), an encounter between Kimia, a German-Iranian surgeon, and one of her patients brings to light stories that have been lost between truth and lies – and are interwoven with the past of a family scattered across Europe. The drama will be filmed over several days in Hamburg.
The comedy Sommermärchen (500,000 euros, if... Productions, Munich) by the Hamburg-based Director and Script Writer Berthold Wahjudi is set during the 2006 World Cup summer: 13-year-old Siegfried, who is too small for his age and the only Asian boy at his school, wants to fit in and impress the much taller Charlotte. When Yuan, an even smaller Chinese boy, joins the school, Siegfried finds himself confronted with a mirror image of his own otherness and draws the newcomer into a rivalry. “Sommermärchen” will have 29 days of filming in Hamburg – shooting is set to begin in the summer of 2027.
Directors Detlev Buck and Cüneyt Kaya are working on the drama Unter Palmen aus Stahl (€400,000, Port au Prince Film & Kultur Produktion, Berlin). It is being filmed in Hamburg over 25 days of shooting in spring 2027. What is the story about? At the age of 16, Dominik ends up on the streets of Hamburg but continues to attend school nonetheless. Among the homeless people at the harbour, he finds a surrogate family and meets Ewa, played by Helena Zengel (“Systemsprenger”), who both fascinates him and keeps him at a distance. Whilst Dominik struggles to pass his A-levels, their contradictory love becomes yet another battle for closeness, freedom and a life beyond the streets. The co-production with CAB Film is based on the bestselling autobiography of the same name by Dominik Bloh.
Am Anfang von Irgendwas (400,000 euros, five-part film, Hamburg) is the title of the new coming-of-age film directed by Hamburg-based Director and Script Writer Willy Hans: with absolutely no modelling experience, 19-year-old David stumbles his way through the world of Milan Fashion Week. Whilst trying to live up to expectations amidst castings, photo shoots and endless queues, he longs for a genuine human connection. Filming will take place over four days in Hamburg.
Other projects funded by MOIN include the film adaptation of Wolfgang Herrndorf’s book Arbeit und Struktur (€250,000, Komplizen Film, Berlin), starring Sandra Hüller and directed by Maria Schrader; the Hamburg-set drama Ordinary Men (€350,000, Weydemann Bros, Hamburg) by Directors Philip Koch and Thomas Kammel, and the new film Morphe (€390,000, North Ship Film, Bujendorf) by Schleswig-Holstein-based filmmaker Hilke Rönnfeldt.
HIGH END FUNDING DECISION
Just under 2.1 million euros will go to seven projects
Tuna
Directors: Julia Becker; Script: Lena Krumkamp; Production company: Oma Inge Film, Hamburg; Funding: 600,000 euros (production)
Grey Matter
Directors and scriptwriters: Mohammad Rasoulof; Production company: Run Way Pictures, Hamburg; Funding: 550,000 euros (production)
Ordinary Men
Directors: Philip Koch; Script: Noah Stollman; Production company: Weydemann Bros., Hamburg; Funding: 350,000 euros (production)
Work and Structure
Directors: Maria Schrader; Script: Maria Schrader, Jan Schomburg; Production company: Komplizen Film, Berlin; Funding: 250,000 euros (production)
The Hanse Saga (series)
Directors: Wilfried Hauke; Script: Wilfried Hauke, Ralf Bartels; Production company: IDA Film & TV Produktion, Kiel; Funding: 200,000 euros (production)
Ghosts
Directors: Fatih Akin; Script: Ruth Thoma, Fatih Akin; Distribution: Warner Bros. Entertainment; Funding: 100,000 euros (distribution)
Butterfly – Return to Gran Canaria
Directors and scriptwriters: Itonje Søimer Guttormsen; Distribution: Port au Prince Pictures, Berlin; Funding: 30,000 euros (distribution)
You can find more information about the funded high-end projects here.
The decision to award funding was taken on 7 October 2026 by: Murat Isgüder, Ole Kampovski, Wenka von Mikulicz, Caroline von Senden, Ipek Zübert and Helge Albers.
The High End Committee is responsible for films and television series with production costs exceeding 2.5 million euros, as well as cinema documentaries with production costs exceeding 1.5 million euros.
FUNDING DECISION: DIRECTOR’S CUT
Around 2.3 million euros will be allocated to 13 projects
Summer Fairy Tale
Directors and scriptwriters: Berthold Wahjudi; Production company: if... Productions, Munich; Funding: 500,000 euros (production)
The Beginning of Something
Directors and scriptwriters: Willy Hans; Production company: Fünferfilm, Hamburg; Funding: 400,000 euros (production)
Under Steel Palms
Directors and scriptwriters: Detlev Buck, Cüneyt Kaya; Production company: Port au Prince Film & Kultur Produktion, Berlin; Funding: 400,000 euros (production)
Morphe
Directors and scriptwriters: Hilke Rönnfeldt; Production company: North Ship Film, Bujendorf; Funding: 390,000 euros (production)
Paul and the River Gang
Directors: Chloé Mazlo; Script: Chloé Mazlo, Clara Bourreau; Production company: Luftkind Filmverleih, Hamburg; Funding: 300,000 euros (production)
See You Soon
Directors: Martin Prinoth, Martina Mahlknecht; Script: Kakiaba Kanuto, Katikun Mataroo, Martin Prinoth, Martina Mahlknecht; Production company: Jyoti Film, Hamburg; Funding: 86,266 euros (production)
Elfi’s Secret
Directors and scriptwriters: Monika Treut; Production company: Filmgalerie 451, Berlin; Funding: 80,000 euros (production)
Everything will go back to the way it was
Directors and scriptwriters: Malika Musaeva; Production company: zero one film, Berlin; Funding: 40,000 euros (project development)
Knut, Bruno, Panda
Directors and scriptwriters: Claudia Tuyết Scheffel; Production company: a group therapy film, Hamburg; Funding: 36,000 euros (project development)
Head to Head
Directors and scriptwriters: Ghasideh Golmakani; Grant amount: 10,000 euros (completion)
Holy Wood Dust
Directors: Viktor Kossakovsky; Script: Viktor Kossakovsky, Stefano Mancuso; Distribution: mindjazz pictures, Cologne; Funding: 26,000 euros (distribution)
All My Sisters
Directors and scriptwriters: Massoud Bakhshi; Distribution: Little Dream Pictures; Funding: 10,000 euros (distribution)
A long time ago tomorrow
Directors and scriptwriters: Luise Donschen; Distribution: Grandfilm, Nuremberg; Funding: 10,000 euros (distribution)
You can find more information about the funded Director’s Cut projects here.
The decision to award funding was taken on 21 October 2026 by: Sara Fazilat, Gabor Greiner, Timo Großpietsch, Britta Knöller, Ann Carolin Renninger and Helge Albers.
The Director's Cut Committee is responsible for films with production costs of less than 2.5 million euros, as well as cinema documentaries with production costs of less than 1.5 million euros.
FUNDING DECISION FOR SHORT FILMS
90,000 euros will go to three projects
The Door In the River
Directors and scriptwriters: Nana Xu; Funding: 40,000 euros
Qarbon Baby
Directors and script writers: Popo Fan; Production company: Fünferfilm, Hamburg; Funding: 30,000 euros
May the sun and the dogs be my guide
Directors and script writers: Catalina Gonzalez Gonzalez; grant amount: 20,000 euros
You can find more information about the funded short film projects here.
The funding decisions were made by the short film Committee on 23 September 2026: Hilke Rönnfeldt, Jannis Alexander Kiefer, Sophia Ayissi and Nicola Jones.
NEST FUNDING DECISION
In a further round of NEST fundings, 461,798 euros were awarded to eight projects. Fundings decisions are made by the NEST community – comprising former NEST grant recipients.
The King of Wellingsbüttel (feature film) by Andi Rogenhagen; production company: Wüste Film, Hamburg
Woman and Colony (Documentary) by Sönje Storm
Dog Days (feature film) by Markus Reinhardt and Nathalie Eckmann
In the Mirror (Documentary) by Sebastian Winkels and Simon Brückner; production company: Pinkmovies, Hamburg
Moving (feature film) by Kai Jou Liao
Peace, Love and Mayhem (feature film) by Felix Ahrens and Sonja Schönemann; production company: CURLYPICTURES, Hamburg
The Red Shoes (animation) by Marita Mayer
Between Two Doors (feature film) by Ashkan Najafi and Hoda Muini
