Christian Petzold (b. 1960)

Alias:
Кристиан Петцольд
Крістіан Петцольд
克里斯蒂安·佩措尔德

Birthplace:
Hilden, Germany

Born:
September 14, 1960

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.

Additional information:

The Search Form


Assistant Director:
1992  Die UFA
1995  Imaginary Architecture, the architect Hans Scharoun

Co-Producer:
1991  The Cinema and the Wind and Photography
1992  Die UFA
1995  Imaginary Architecture, the architect Hans Scharoun

Director:
1987  Mission
1988  I'm Working Through Everything... Word of Honor!
1989  Broads
1990  Glory and Misery of the Gifted
1990  South
1991  Eastward
1991  The Cinema and the Wind and Photography
1992  Die UFA
1992  The Warm Money
1994  Deduction
1995  Imaginary Architecture, the architect Hans Scharoun
1995  Pilots
1996  Cuba Libre
1998  The Sex Thief
2001  The State I Am In
2002  Something to Remind Me
2003  Wolfsburg
2005  Ghosts
2007  Yella
2009  Jerichow
2011  Dreileben: Beats Being Dead
2012  Barbara
2014  Phoenix
2017  Where Do You Stand Today, Christian Petzold?
2018  Transit
2020  Undine
2023  Afire
????  Miroirs No. 3

Director of Photography:
1987  Mission
1988  I'm Working Through Everything... Word of Honor!
1989  Broads
1990  Glory and Misery of the Gifted
1990  South
1991  Eastward
1991  The Cinema and the Wind and Photography
1992  Die UFA
1992  The Warm Money
1994  Deduction
1995  Imaginary Architecture, the architect Hans Scharoun
1995  Pilots
1996  Cuba Libre
1998  The Sex Thief
2001  The State I Am In
2002  Something to Remind Me
2003  Wolfsburg
2005  Ghosts
2007  Yella
2009  Jerichow
2011  Dreileben: Beats Being Dead
2012  Barbara
2014  Phoenix
2017  Where Do You Stand Today, Christian Petzold?
2018  Transit
2020  Undine
2023  Afire
????  Miroirs No. 3

Editor:
1987  Mission
1988  I'm Working Through Everything... Word of Honor!
1989  Broads
1990  Glory and Misery of the Gifted
1990  South
1991  Eastward
1991  The Cinema and the Wind and Photography
1992  Die UFA
1992  The Warm Money
1994  Deduction
1995  Imaginary Architecture, the architect Hans Scharoun
1995  Pilots
1996  Cuba Libre
1998  The Sex Thief
2001  The State I Am In
2002  Something to Remind Me
2003  Wolfsburg
2005  Ghosts
2007  Yella
2009  Jerichow
2011  Dreileben: Beats Being Dead
2012  Barbara
2014  Phoenix
2017  Where Do You Stand Today, Christian Petzold?
2018  Transit
2020  Undine
2023  Afire
????  Miroirs No. 3

Screenplay:
1987  Mission
1988  I'm Working Through Everything... Word of Honor!
1989  Broads
1990  Glory and Misery of the Gifted
1990  South
1991  Eastward
1991  The Cinema and the Wind and Photography
1992  Die UFA
1992  The Warm Money
1994  Deduction
1995  Imaginary Architecture, the architect Hans Scharoun
1995  Pilots
1996  Cuba Libre
1998  The Sex Thief
2001  The State I Am In
2002  Something to Remind Me
2003  Wolfsburg
2005  Ghosts
2007  Yella
2009  Jerichow
2011  Dreileben: Beats Being Dead
2012  Barbara
2014  Phoenix
2017  Where Do You Stand Today, Christian Petzold?
2018  Transit
2020  Undine
2023  Afire
????  Miroirs No. 3

Sound:
1987  Mission
1988  I'm Working Through Everything... Word of Honor!
1989  Broads
1990  19 Portraits
1990  Glory and Misery of the Gifted
1990  South
1991  Am Rand
1991  Eastward
1991  The Cinema and the Wind and Photography
1992  Die UFA
1992  The Warm Money
1994  Deduction
1994  Vergangen, vergessen, vorüber
1995  Imaginary Architecture, the architect Hans Scharoun
1995  Pilots
1996  Cuba Libre
1998  The Sex Thief
2001  The State I Am In
2002  Something to Remind Me
2003  Wolfsburg
2005  Ghosts
2007  Yella
2009  Jerichow
2011  Dreileben: Beats Being Dead
2012  Barbara
2014  Phoenix
2017  Where Do You Stand Today, Christian Petzold?
2018  Transit
2020  Undine
2023  Afire
????  Miroirs No. 3

Writer:
1987  Mission
1988  I'm Working Through Everything... Word of Honor!
1989  Broads
1990  19 Portraits
1990  Glory and Misery of the Gifted
1990  South
1991  Am Rand
1991  Eastward
1991  The Cinema and the Wind and Photography
1992  Die UFA
1992  The Warm Money
1994  Deduction
1994  Vergangen, vergessen, vorüber
1995  Imaginary Architecture, the architect Hans Scharoun
1995  Pilots
1996  Cuba Libre
1998  The Sex Thief
2001  The State I Am In
2002  Something to Remind Me
2003  Wolfsburg
2005  Ghosts
2007  Yella
2009  Jerichow
2011  Dreileben: Beats Being Dead
2012  Barbara
2014  Phoenix
2017  Where Do You Stand Today, Christian Petzold?
2018  Transit
2020  Undine
2023  Afire
????  Miroirs No. 3

Director:
1971  Polizeiruf 110

Writer:
1971  Polizeiruf 110

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