Back in 1995, when the Film Awards were attracting as much attention as a pebble dropped into a pond, the Berlin based production company of Regina Ziegler was asked by the Federal Ministry of the Interior to reorganize and regenerate the festivities. She did so by producing a show at Friedrichstadtpalast along the lines of the Oscars in Hollywood: a live TV gala featuring entertaining performances, star guests, the introduction of a "foreign prize" and the announcement of the top category winners at prime time.