Film

10 Bavarian filmmakers

  • Nicole Kidman and Werner Herzog (Reuters/H. Hanschke)

    Werner Herzog

    Werner Herzog, born in 1942 in Munich, is currently the world's most famous Bavarian filmmaker. Ever since "My Best Fiend," his 1999 documentary about his favorite actor Klaus Kinski, Herzog has mostly directed in the US, combining fiction and documentary films, and charming the world with his unmistakable Bavarian accent. In Hollywood he has worked with stars such as Nicole Kidman.

  • Rainer Werner Fassbinder (picture-alliance/dpa)

    Rainer Werner Fassbinder

    With Herzog, Fassbinder was a catalyst of the New German Cinema movement that put the country back on the cinematographic map in the 1960s. Born in 1945 in the Bavarian town of Bad Wörishofen, he experimented and broke the conventions of the time like no other filmmaker in the country. Later, Fassbinder also filmed outside of Bavaria.

  • A film still from Bierkampf shows a line of people sitting at a wooden table (picture-alliance/dpa)

    Herbert Achternbusch

    Herbert Achternbusch was and remains a Bavarian original. The director also often stared in his own films. In "Bierkampf" (above), which translates as "beer fight," he celebrated his love-hate relationship with his Bavarian homeland and its people. In the movie he played Herbert, who pretends to be a police officer (above right). Achternbusch is also the author of books, plays and radio dramas.

  • Karl Valentin (picture-alliance/dpa)

    Karl Valentin

    Karl Valentin was another Bavarian original. The singer, actor and author directed numerous short films in the early ages of cinema, as well as a few longer works later on. Born in 1882 in Munich, Valentin was renowned way beyond Bavaria for his duo performances with his stage and film partner, Liesl Karlstadt. His humor influenced generations of comedians after him.

  • Helmut Dietl raises his hand onstage (picture-alliance/dpa)

    Helmut Dietl

    Traces of Karl Valentin's humor can be found in the TV shows and films directed by Helmut Dietl. Born in 1944 in the Bavarian town Bad Wiessee, Dietl's first hit TV series came with "Monaco Franze," followed by "Kir Royal." His most successful film was a 1997 comedy with a title that translates as "Rossini, or the Killer Question: Who Slept with Whom." It poked fun at Munich's vain high society.

  • Dominik Graf (imago/Seeliger)

    Dominik Graf

    Born in Munich in 1952, Dominik Graf should be considered one of the greatest filmmakers of the country. However, his works weren't commercial hits, and he has mainly concentrated on directing for TV. His movies nevertheless belong to the best ever produced in this country. He also paid tribute to his home city with his film essay from the year 2000, titled "Munich — Secrets of a City."

  • Michael Haneke (Getty Images)

    Michael Haneke

    In Haneke's case, even though he started working for TV, he ended up as an internationally recognized filmmaker. As fans know, he's official holds Austrian nationality, but he was actually born in Munich. The glory of the award-winning director's oeuvre therefore also shines a bit on the city where he was born.

  • Still from the Architect, Josef Bierbichler walking in snowy mountain with three other people in background (picture-alliance/dpa/Reverse Angle Pictures)

    Josef Bierbichler

    Josef Bierbichler is another Bavarian film director, though he only recently stepped behind the camera. He first established himself as an actor, shown here in Ina Weisse's film "The Architect." Bierbichler, born in 1948 in Amach, had his debut in films directed by other Bavarian greats Werner Herzog and Herbert Achternbusch. He's also a successful theater actor and novelist.

  • Hans-Christian Schmid (picture-alliance/Everett Collection)

    Hans-Christian Schmid

    Director Hans-Christian Schmid is perhaps a discrete figure in Germany's cinematographic landscape, but nevertheless currently one of the most skilled filmmakers in the country. Born in 1965, he gained renown through his 1995 comedy, "After Five in the Forest Primeval," starring Franka Potente in her film debut. His works are not all set in Bavaria, but when they are, they're powerfully strong.

  • Michael Bully Herbig (picture-alliance/dpa/W. Langenstrassen)

    Michael 'Bully' Herbig

    The youngest Bavarian filmmaker in our top 10 selection is comedian Michael "Bully" Herbig. Born in 1968 in Munich, Herbig initially became famous through his comedy skits and a TV late night sketch show, "Bullyparade." He went on directing for the big screen with parodies including "Manitou's Shoe," a smash-hit Western spoof, and "Traumschiff Surprise — Periode 1," which pokes fun at Star Trek.


For many cinema enthusiasts, Munich is Germany's secret film capital — although not everyone in the country would agree. But many great directors were in fact born in Bavaria. Here's 10 great Bavarian film directors.

  • Date 03.07.2018
  • Author Jochen Kürten (eg)