‘Happiness’ wins the 2026 Audience Choice Award!

Audience Choice Award

In addition to our jury prizes, we present another award every year – and you are the jury for this one. Our Audience Choice Award goes to the series chosen by you, our viewers and our most discerning critics. All the series in the programme were up for selection, and voting took place via a voting box using voting cards. We are now delighted to announce this year’s winner of the Audience Choice Award: HAPPINESS (ARTE).

The top 3 series at the 2026 festival

3rd place: Club der roten Bänder - Die neue Generation (RTL+, VOX)

A new generation takes over the hospitalwing: with new cast, new storylines and new social focus, the award winning teen dramedy steps into the present day.

2nd place: Das Manko/The Flaws (ZDF, Das kleine Fernsehspiel)

“The Office” extreme: mixing physical comedy and absurd surrealism, these award-winning “Flaws” prove a winning exception in the often formulaic landscape of German comedy.

1st place: Happiness (ARTE)

Five years after opening our eyes to her homeland Iran road movie style, Shadi is now beginning to find herself in French exile.