Christian Petzold

Born: 1960-09-14

Christian Petzold (born September 14, 1960; Hilden) is a German filmmaker, best known for directing the films Barbara, Jerichow, and Phoenix. He is credited to the Berlin School and has received numerous prizes and awards. Petzold writes his own scenarios, often collaborating with Harun Farocki. As his former teacher at dffb, Farocki was a major influence on Petzold, who, along with Angela Schanelec and Thomas Arslan, is generally considered to be part of the Berlin School. While the Berlin School is often associated with a new turn towards realism and political cinema, Petzold's films, while they address issues of work and employment, also deal with conflicts between life and death. His first film was "Pilots" (1995), which he directed for his film school graduation in 1995. While "The State I Am In" (2000) was his first feature film, also noting his first collaboration with Harun Farocki. In 2005, his film "Ghosts"was presented at the Berlin International Film Festival, as was his 2007 film "Yella". Petzold's film Barbara (2012) competed in competition at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival and Petzold won the Silver Bear for Best Director. The film was selected as the German entry for the Best Foreign Language Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards, but it did not make the final shortlist. For the film Afire (2023), Christian Petzold received the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival in 2023.


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The Cinematograph: Birth of an Art

as Self - Filmmaker
Released: 2021-10-17

Throughout the 19th century, imaginative and visionary artists and inventors brought about the...

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Love/Work/Cinema: A Conversation with Christian Petzold and Nina Hoss

as Self
Released: 2016-04-26

New conversation between director Christian Petzold and actor Nina Hoss

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Was heißt hier Ende? Der Filmkritiker Michael Althen

as Self
Released: 2015-02-13

Documentary about German film critic Michael Althen.

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Who is Helene Schwarz?

as Self
Released: 2005-02-13

Only the chosen few know this woman who started working as a secretary for the German Film and...

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The Making of 'Phoenix'

as Self
Released: 2014-01-01

2014 documentary featuring interviews with Petzold, Hoss, actors Nina Kunzendorf and Ronald...

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Barrage and Bunker

as uncredited
Released: 1991-10-07

Barrage and Bunker is an essay film about the (narrative) space imagined by fiction films....

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