JUPITER, the audience award sponsored by Europe’s number one film magazine CINEMA, was handed out for the 29th time in Berlin. For the gala ceremony, guests and award winners like Maria Furtwängler, Michael “Bully” Herbig and Oliver Kalkofe gathered at Berlin’s celebrity location “PURO Lounge”.

Audience awards are always something special for stars. This year’s JUPITER winners seemed to be very touched to having been chosen as audience favorites. “JUPITER is an audience award, and that it is a great distinction. I feel honored and proud to be so popular with the viewers. This is simply wonderful,” commented a delighted Maria Furtwängler. The actress received the Best TV Actress Award for her performance in “Die Flucht” (The Refugees).

“Audience awards are the most important awards. It’s the audience that can either make or break you,” Heino Ferch aptly described. The actor accepted the Best German TV Actor Award for his performance in “Die Mauer (The Wall) – Berlin ’61”.

Michael “Bully” Herbig took home his third JUPITER. The star comedian and filmmaker was in full cry on the black carpet, joking with photographers and signing scores of autographs. “I am so happy that this time I have actually made it here to accept the award. The last times my editors did that for me. But I really wanted to pick up the third one myself,” said the Munich-based director who was voted Best German Director for the film “Lissy und der Wilde Kaiser” (Lissi and the Wild Emperor).

Nina Hoss, also honored for her acting, was equally delighted with her distinction: “I have never before received an audience award. It is something absolutely special to get this award because the audience is what you work for,” commented the actress.