Frauke Finsterwalder facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Frauke Finsterwalder
Finsterwalder in 2023
Born	(1975-12-15) 15 December 1975 (age 49) Hamburg, West Germany
Occupation	Film director and screenwriter
Years active	2005–present
Spouse(s)	Christian Kracht ​ (before 2010)​
Children	1

Frauke Finsterwalder (born 15 December 1975) is a talented German film director and screenwriter. This means she is in charge of making movies and also writes the stories for them. She has made many short films and documentaries. Her first big movie, Finsterworld, came out in 2013. For her second major film, Sisi & I, released in 2023, she won a special prize called the Bavarian Film Award for Best Director.

Early Life and Education

Frauke Finsterwalder spent some of her childhood in the United States. Later, she studied literature and history at Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany.

Starting Her Career

Before she became a film director, Finsterwalder worked in theatre. She was an assistant director at two famous theatres in Berlin: the Volksbühne and the Maxim Gorki Theatre. She also worked as an editor for a German newspaper called Süddeutsche Zeitung. After these experiences, she went back to school to study how to direct documentary films in Munich. In 2005, she directed her very first short film, called 0.003 km.

Finsterwalder looks up to other famous directors like Wes Anderson, Terrence Malick, and Paul Verhoeven. Their movies have influenced her own work. She often works with the actress Sandra Hüller and film editor Andreas Menn on her projects.

Documentary Films

Because a Man is Human

After her first short film, Finsterwalder worked with Stephan Hilpert to direct a documentary called Weil der Mensch ein Mensch ist, which means 'Because a man is human'. The title comes from a famous song by Bertolt Brecht. This film is about how young people learn about democracy. It was released in 2007 and was very well-received.

The Great Pyramid

In 2010, Finsterwalder directed another documentary called Die große Pyramide ('The Great Pyramid'). This film follows a group of young men, including German writer Ingo Niermann. They had a big plan: to build the largest man-made structure ever! It was meant to be a giant pyramid in eastern Germany. This pyramid would be a tourist spot and also a resting place for many people.

Finsterworld

Finsterwalder's first full-length movie, Finsterworld, was co-written with Swiss writer Christian Kracht. It was shown for the first time at the Munich Film Festival in July 2013. The movie tells the stories of twelve different characters. Their lives are all connected in interesting ways. Some of the actors in the film include Sandra Hüller, Jakub Gierszał, and Ronald Zehrfeld.

Sisi & I

Finsterwalder's next big film, Sisi & I, tells a new version of the story of Empress Elisabeth of Austria. This movie shows the later years of the Empress's life from the viewpoint of her lady-in-waiting, Irma Sztáray. The cast includes Sandra Hüller again, along with Susanne Wolff and other great actors. The film first showed at the 73rd Berlin Film Festival in February 2023. It was released in Germany in March 2023.

In June 2023, Frauke Finsterwalder won the Bavarian Film Award for Best Director for her work on Sisi & I. This is a big honor for a film director!

Personal Life

Frauke Finsterwalder is married to the Swiss writer Christian Kracht. They have a daughter who was born in 2009. Since 2020, their family has been living in Zurich, Switzerland.

Filmography

Feature Films

• 2013: Finsterworld
• 2023: Sisi & I

Documentaries

• 2007: Because a Man is Human
• 2010: The Great Pyramid

Short Film

• 2005: 0.003 km

Television

• 2007: Fremde Kinder (TV series, 1 episode)

Awards and Nominations