Christian Petzold
Directing
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.
Known for
Directing28
movieMiroirs No. 3
2025
Director
movieAfire
2023
Director
movieUndine
2020
Director
movieTransit
2018
Director
moviePhoenix
2014
Director
movieBarbara
2012
Director
movieJerichow
2009
Director
movieYella
2007
Director
movieGhosts
2005
Director
movieWolfsburg
2003
Director
movieSomething to Remind Me
2002
Director
movieThe State I Am In
2001
Director
movieThe Sex Thief
1998
Director
movieCuba Libre
1996
Director
moviePilots
1995
Director
movieImaginary Architecture, the architect Hans Scharoun
1995
Assistant Director
Deduction
1994
Director
movieDie UFA
1992
Assistant Director
movieThe Warm Money
1992
Director
movieEastward
1991
Director
movieSouth
1990
Director
movieBroads
1989
Director
Mission
1987
Director
tvPolizeiruf 110
1971
Director
Acting22
movieThe Cinematograph: Birth of an Art
2021
Self - Filmmaker
Writing22
movieMiroirs No. 3
2025
Screenplay
movieAfire
2023
Writer
movieUndine
2020
Screenplay
movieTransit
2018
Screenplay
moviePhoenix
2014
Screenplay
movieBarbara
2012
Screenplay
movieJerichow
2009
Writer
movieYella
2007
Writer
movieGhosts
2005
Screenplay
movieWolfsburg
2003
Writer
movieThe Sex Thief
1998
Screenplay
movieCuba Libre
1996
Screenplay
moviePilots
1995
Screenplay
movieThe Warm Money
1992
Writer
movieEastward
1991
Writer
movieSouth
1990
Writer
movieBroads
1989
Writer
tvPolizeiruf 110
1971
Writer
Camera3
movieEastward
1991
Director of Photography
movieSouth
1990
Director of Photography
movieBroads
1989
Director of Photography
