Wolfgang Becker

Wolfgang Becker studied at Deutsche Film- und Fernsehakademie Berlin and Freie Universität Berlin. The recorded working language is German. The field of work recorded is film. Works named in the authority record are Good Bye Lenin! And Life is All You Get. Distinctions recorded are European Film Award for Best Film, European Film Award for Best Director, European Film Award - People's Choice Award for Best Director and Ernst Lubitsch award.

• Name — Wolfgang Becker • Born — 22 June 1954 • Birthplace — Hemer, North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany • Died — 12 December 2024 • Place of death — Berlin, Germany • Occupation — * Film director • screenwriter

Wolfgang Becker was born on 22 June 1954 in Hemer, North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany. He studied German, History and American Studies at the Free University in Berlin.

In 1980, Becker landed a job at a sound studio and later enrolled at the German Film and Television Academy (DFFB). In 1983 he started work as a freelance cameraman graduating from the DFFB in 1986 with Schmetterlinge (Butterflies), which won the Student Academy Award in 1988, the Golden Leopard at the Locarno International Film Festival, and the Saarland Prime-Minister's Award at the 1988 Filmfestival Max Ophüls Preis Saarbrücken. Becker directed an episode of the television drama Tatort, titled "Blutwurstwalzer". He made his second feature Kinderspiele (Child's Play) in 1992. He created a documentary the same year, Celibidache, about Sergiu Celibidache returning to conduct the Berlin Philharmonic after 38 years. In 1994, Becker co-founded the production company X Filme Creative Pool with Tom Tykwer, Stefan Arndt, and Dani Levy. He worked with Tykwer on the Berlinale competition feature Das Leben ist eine Baustelle (Life Is All You Get, 1997). Becker was a founding member of the Deutsche Filmakademie in 2003. He was a member of the jury at the Venice Film Festival in 2004. Becker's biggest success was the 2003 film Good Bye, Lenin!, with over 6 million viewers. The short film Ballero was produced for the 2006 FIFA World Cup draw ceremony and broadcast worldwide on television. Becker completed his final film, Der Held vom Bahnhof Friedrichstraße, in October 2024, shortly before his death; it was released in December 2025.

Becker was married and had a daughter. He died in Berlin on 12 December 2024 after a severe illness, at the age of 70.

• Year — Title — Director — Writer — Actor — Notes • 1988 — Schmetterlinge • 1991 — Tatort (TV series) — 1 episode, "Blutwurstwalzer" • 1992 — Child's Play (Kinderspiele) • Sergiu Celibidache: The Triumphant Return — Documentary about Sergiu Calibidache • 1997 — Life Is All You Get (Das Leben ist eine Baustelle) • 2003 — Good Bye, Lenin! — Co-writer • 2004 — Welcome to São Paulo (Bem-Vindo a São Paulo) — Segment • 2005 — Ballero • 2009 — Germany 09: 13 Short Films About the State of the Nation — Segment "Krankes Haus" • 2015 — Me and Kaminski • 2025 — Der Held vom Bahnhof Friedrichstraße