The state government awards the following four Bavarian Media Prizes:
Bavarian Film Award
Since 1979, the Bavarian state government has awarded the Bavarian Film Prize for outstanding achievements in German filmmaking on the recommendation of an independent jury, in order to highlight the importance of cinema as a cultural asset. It is endowed with prize money totaling 300,000 euros. This makes the Bavarian Film Prize one of the most highly endowed and coveted awards of its kind in Germany. The prize symbol is the porcelain figure Pierrot from the comedia dell'arte by Franz-Anton Bustelli.
Awards can be presented in the following categories:
- Performance
- Direction
- Screenplay
- Cinematography / Image Design
- Editing
- Film score
- Equipment
- Costumes
- Animation
- Visual Effects
At least one of the individual awards is intended to honor the outstanding achievement of a young talent. The earmarked producer prize is awarded to the film's production company. It is awarded to the outstanding German film that makes the best overall impression and is endowed with 200,000 euros. The prize money must be used for the production of a new program-length film.
In addition, the Bavarian Minister President may award an honorary prize ("Prize of the Minister President"). The "Prize of the Bavarian Minister President" has already been awarded to numerous renowned film greats, such as Roland Emmerich, Margarethe von Trotta, Werner Herzog, Hannelore Elsner, Bruno Ganz, Volker Schlöndorff, Wim Wenders and Mario Adorf.
The members of the selection committee as well as the transnational associations and institutions of German film and the FilmFernsehFonds Bayern are entitled to nominate.
Blue Panther - TV & Streaming Award
"Blauer Panther - TV & Streaming Award" - this is the title under which the previous Bavarian Television Award has been presented since 2022. In addition to the name, the content has also changed. In addition to TV productions, productions for streaming platforms or web creators with high-caliber formats for social media platforms can also receive an award.
It is awarded by an independent jury in the following four categories:
- Information / Journalism
- Fiction
- Entertainment
- Culture/Education
Further prizes can be determined via digital audience voting.
The award is organized by Medien.Bayern GmbH and supported by the Bavarian Regulatory Authority for Commercial Broadcasting (BLM) and the media companies Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR), Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF), 3sat, Google Germany (2022), Seven.One Entertainment Group GmbH, RTL Deutschland, Sky Deutschland and Prime Video. The award is also financially supported by the Bavarian State Chancellery and the Bavarian State Ministry for Digital Affairs.
The awards will be presented during MEDIENTAGE MÜNCHEN, including by Minister President Dr. Markus Söder and Digital Minister Judith Gerlach, who is responsible for the Bavarian TV and film production industry.
Bavarian Print Prize
The Bavarian Print Award has been recognizing outstanding achievements in the print industry since 2000, underlining Bavaria's importance as Germany's most important publishing and print media location. This prize, which is unique in Germany, is awarded without endowment every two years by the Bavarian State Government in cooperation with the Association of Bavarian Newspaper Publishers (VBZV), the Media Association of the Free Press (MVFP) - Bavarian State Office and the Bavarian Printing and Media Association (VDMB).
Awards are presented in the following three categories:
- "Newspaper" category: awards are given for new approaches to publishing newspaper content and marketing media.
- Magazine" category: Awards are given to particularly innovative new magazines or successful relaunches.
- Print" category: Awards are given for high-quality and outstanding print products.
An independent jury of recognized print experts decides who receives the Bavarian Print Award.
The Bavarian Minister President awards an honorary prize to a personality who has rendered outstanding services to the Bavarian print media location through their entrepreneurial activities.
The prize symbol is Nike, the goddess of victory, a figurine from Porzellan Manufaktur Nymphenburg.
Bavarian Book Prize
Since 2014, the Bavarian Book Prize has been awarded annually to the best new publication of the year in the categories of nonfiction and fiction. It underlines the importance of Bavaria as the most important publishing location in Germany and creates awareness for German-language authors, reading and the leading medium of books.
The prize, worth 10,000 euros, is awarded by the Bavarian branch of the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels (German Publishers and Booksellers Association) with the support of the Bavarian state government.
The concept is unique in Germany: on the evening of the award ceremony, a top-class jury deliberates live in front of an invited audience on six nominated titles in the two categories "fiction" and "non-fiction" and then selects the best German-language new publication of the year.
The Bavarian Minister-President also awards an honorary prize to an author for his or her literary work.
The prize symbol is a white lion from Porzellan Manufaktur Nymphenburg.
Since 2020, the 'Bayern 2' Audience Award has also been presented as part of the Bavarian Book Prize.
Further prizes and awards of the Free State of Bavaria
You can find further prizes and awards sorted by topic in the Politics section of the Bavarian State Government portal
If you select a location under "Localization" the contact details of the responsible authority and, if applicable, locally valid information will be displayed.