The Prize of the Ecumenical Jury in Chemnitz 2021 went to "Mon cirque à moi" (My Very Own Circus) by Myriam Bouchard from Canada, which also won the Fipresci Prize. The European Children's Jury awarded the European Children's Film Prize of the Saxon Ministry of Culture to "Spaceboy" by Olivier Pairoux (Belgium 2020). The Top Prize of the Saxon State Institute for Private Broadcasting and New Media (SLM) was won by "Fehlt" (Rickshaw Girl, Bangladesh 2021) by Amitabh Reza Chowdhury, the Award of the City of Chemnitz by "Khorshid" (Sun Children, Iran 2020) by Majid Majidi.
The 26th SCHLINGEL 2021 film festival began in Chemnitz on 9 October. Almost 200 films, including 10 world premieres, were shown in three age-related competition sections (children's, junior and youth film), the animation, short film and German competition. In addition, this year there was a country focus on Russia and more films out of competition in the Panorama section.