ARD Funds Moorhuhn Documentary With Up to €300,000 After TopDocs Win
Leipzig – October 29, 2026 -- Six ARD broadcasters will cover gross production costs of up to €300,000 for "Die unglaubliche Geschichte des Moorhuhns" (The Incredible Story of the Moorhuhn), the winner of the 15th ARD TopDocs Competition. Leipzig-based Hoferichter & Jacobs GmbH, represented by Ariane Riecker and Olaf Jacobs, won the pitch for the 90-minute documentary.
Jury picked the winner from 52 submissions and three finalists
A jury of programme editors from the participating ARD media houses and the ARD Mediathek, chaired by ARD Editor-in-Chief Oliver Köhr, shortlisted three projects out of 52 entries. The finalists presented their concepts at a pitch in Leipzig on October 28, 2026. The call sought stories of people who risked everything for big goals, for release on Das Erste or in the ARD Mediathek.