Christian Petzold

He has earned further acclaim directing Jerichow (2008), Barbara (2012), Phoenix (2014), Transit (2018), Undine (2020), and Afire (2023).

Christian Petzold studied at Deutsche Film- und Fernsehakademie Berlin. The recorded working language is German. Works named in the authority record are Polizeiruf 110: Wölfe. Work by Christian Petzold is recorded in the collections of Museum of Modern Art. Distinctions recorded are Romy, Helmut Käutner Prize, Silver Bear for Best Director and Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.

• Name — Christian Petzold • Birthplace — Hilden, West Germany • Born — 14 September 1960 • Occupation — Film director • Years Active — 1988–present

Born in Hilden and raised in Haan, where he graduated from high school in 1979, Petzold fulfilled his military civil service in a small cinema club of a local YMCA, showing films to troubled adolescents.[4] From 1981 on he lived in Berlin, where he studied theatre and German studies at the Free University of Berlin. From 1988 to 1994, he studied film at the German Film and Television Academy Berlin (dffb) where he studied with mentors who "included filmmakers, media artists, and media theorists Harun Farocki and Hartmut Bitomsky, who are both known for their non-narrative films, video work, and film installations in galleries and museums."[5] While at dffb, Petzold appeared in Thomas Arslan's short experimental film 19 Porträts (1990), a 16-millimeter black-and-white film in the tradition of Andy Warhol's Screen Tests.

• Illustration — Christian Petzold in 2002 His first film was Pilotinnen, which he directed for his film school graduation in 1995. While The State I Am In (German: Die innere Sicherheit) (2000) was his first feature film, also noting his first collaboration with Harun Farocki. In 2005, his film Gespenster was presented at the Berlin International Film Festival, as was his 2007 film Yella. Petzold writes his own scenarios, often collaborating with Harun Farocki.[6] 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.[7] 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. In Gespenster the protagonist leads a ghost-like existence.[8] In Yella the protagonist is, possibly, already dead at the beginning of the film. These three films came to be called the "Gespenster Trilogy".[9] The 2008 film Jerichow was his fourth collaboration with Nina Hoss after Something to Remind Me (German: Toter Mann), Wolfsburg and Yella. The drama concerns a soldier who, having returned from Afghanistan to Prignitz, becomes involved in a relationship with a married woman. The movie was nominated in the main competition at the 65th Venice International Film Festival in 2008. In 2009, Petzold received a 'best director' nomination for the Deutscher Filmpreis award.[10] Although more famous as a director of film and television, Petzold has also staged Arthur Schnitzler's The Lonely Way (German: Der einsame Weg) at the Deutsches Theater following an invitation by Oliver Reese. The drama, with Nina Hoss as protagonist, premiered on 14 March 2009.[11] Petzold's film Barbara 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.[13] The film became Petzold's greatest box office success, grossing $4,129,250 worldwide.[14]

In December 2023, alongside 50 other filmmakers, Petzold signed an open letter published in Libération demanding a ceasefire and an end to the killing of civilians amid the 2023 Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip, and for a humanitarian corridor into Gaza to be established for humanitarian aid, and the release of hostages.[16][17]

Television • Year — Title — Credited as — Notes • Director — Writer • 1995 — Pilots — TV movie • 1996 — Cuba Libre (1996 film) • 1998 — The Sex Thief (1998 film) • 2001 — Something to Remind Me • 2011 — Dreileben (film trilogy) • 2015–18 — Police call 110 — TV series; 3 episodes

• Illustration — Petzold with the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize for Afire, at Berlinale 2023 • Year — Award — Nominated work — Category — Result — Ref. • 2003 — Berlin International Film Festival — Wolfsburg — FIPRESCI Prize • 2005 — Gespenster — Golden Bear • 2007 — Yella • 2012 — Barbara • Silver Bear for Best Director • Reader Jury of the "Berliner Morgenpost" • 2018 — Transit — Golden Bear • 2020 — Undine • FIPRESCI Prize • 2023 — Afire — Golden Bear • Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize • 2012 — European Film Awards — Barbara — Best Film • People's Choice Award • 2020 — Undine — Best Film[27] • 2000 — Venice Film Festival — The State I Am In — Cinema of the Present - Lion of the Year[28] • 2008 — Jerichow — Golden Lion[20][23][25][26][29]

In 2023, Petzold served on the official selection jury for the 71st San Sebastián International Film Festival, chaired by Claire Denis.[15]

• Year — English title — Original title — Notes • 2000 — The State I Am In — Die innere Sicherheit — Part 1 of the "Ghosts" Trilogy[19] • 2001 — Something to Remind Me — Toter Mann • 2003 — Wolfsburg • 2005 — Ghosts — Gespenster — Part 2 of the "Ghosts" Trilogy • 2007 — Yella — Part 3 of the "Ghosts" Trilogy • 2008 — Jerichow • 2012 — Barbara — Part 1 of the "Love in Times of Oppressive Systems" Trilogy • 2014 — Phoenix — Part 2 of the "Love in Times of Oppressive Systems" Trilogy • 2018 — Transit — Part 3 of the "Love in Times of Oppressive Systems" Trilogy • 2020 — Undine • 2023 — Afire — Roter Himmel • 2025 — Miroirs No. 3

• Year — Title — Credited as — Notes • Director — Writer • 1988 — Ich arbeite alles ab... Ehrenwort! — Short film • 1990 — Süden — Documentary short; Also cinematographer and editor • 1991 — Ostwärts — Documentary short; Also cinematographer • 1992 — The Warm Money — Short film