Jury documentary film competition for young people 2026

Bahar Bektas

Filmmaker

Bahar Bektaş studied screenwriting, dramaturgy as well as social pedagogy. Through her work, the filmmaker has dedicated herself to the mission of bringing together film and social issues. As a writer, she has worked on series such as MADE IN GERMANY and A BETTER PLACE. Her documentary film EXILE NEVER ENDS won, among other awards, the 2025 Grimme Award and numerous other prizes. Bahar is currently working on her first feature film.

Annika Preil

Moderator and actress

Annika Preil is a German actress, moderator and author. She has been in front of the camera since she was two years old and has appeared in various film and television productions ever since.

She is best known to a wide audience as the host of the KiKA programs ANNA UND DIE WILDEN TIERE (since 2014), ANNA UND DIE HAUSTIERE, and other spin-off formats. Her studies in elementary school teaching help her to convey knowledge in an age-appropriate and engaging way.

As a children's book author, she published the book ANNIS WILDE TIERABENTEUER, for which she was awarded the German Children's Book Prize in 2024. Since 2025, she has been touring Germany with her show of the same name, bringing her enthusiasm for animals and children to the stage.

Felix Völkel

Project management KURZFILMTAG

Felix Völkel is the coordinator of KURZFILMTAG, a project by the German Short Film Association. The nation-wide Short Film Day invites initiatives and institutions to screen short films at the end of December, no matter if it’s cinemas, schools, barns in the countryside or community centres. Felix studied literature and cultural studies and worked for the short film festival in Jena before joining the team of AG Kurzfilm in Dresden.

Emmelie Furthmüller

Screenwriter

Emmelie Furthmüller is about to complete her screenwriting studies at the University of Television and Film Munich. As is typical for a film student, she doesn’t just write – she produces, works on production design, make-up and sound, drives the van – and, when necessary, directs as well. She is equally passionate about documentary and fiction projects, as long as they are driven by heart – and ideally with a touch of humor. She is just as dedicated to media education and will be part of the Junior Festival Management team of flimmern&rauschen in 2026.

Meike Fuchs

Teacher and Head of Department, Professional Sciences MLLV e.V.

Meike Fuchs teaches German, German as a second language, English, and sports at a middle school in Munich. She became a teacher because she believes it is the best job in the world and she wants to inspire children to embrace lifelong learning. At MLLV e.V., which is the main prize sponsor of the documentary film competition for young people for the first time in 2026, she heads the professional sciences department. Meike Fuchs was previously involved with the Young MLLV.