Joseph Vilsmaier (, 24 January 1939 – 11 February 2020) was a German film director who began his career as a technician and cameraman. He is internationally known for films such as '' Comedian Harmonists''.

Life

Born in Munich. Vilsmaier attended a boarding school near Augsburg. He then trained as a technician to make film cameras, and studied piano at the

Musikhochschule München The University of Music and Performing Arts Munich (german: Hochschule für Musik und Theater München), also known as the Munich Conservatory, is a performing arts conservatory in Munich, Germany. The main building it currently occupies is t ...

. He was a member of a jazz group. After working as a technician, he moved into film, first as a material and camera assistant, then from 1961 as a cameraman. He filmed episodes of television series such as '' Tatort''. His debut film as director, '' Herbstmilch'' in 1988, starring his wife,

Dana Vávrová Dana Vávrová (; 9 August 1967 – 5 February 2009) was a Czech-German film actress and director. She was one of the most popular German actresses throughout 1980s and early 1990s. After her role in Herbstmilch as Anna Wimschneider in 1989, she ...

, was a huge success. In 1995, he directed ''

Schlafes Bruder ''Schlafes Bruder'' is a novel by Austrian writer Robert Schneider, first published in German in 1992. It was an international success and was adapted into a feature film and an opera, among others. History The plot is set in an Austrian mounta ...

'', after

the novel ''The Novel'' (1991) is a novel written by American author James A. Michener. A departure from Michener's better known historical fiction, ''The Novel'' is told from the viewpoints of four different characters involved in the life and work of ...

by Robert Schneider. In 1997, he directed '' Comedian Harmonists'' which became an international success. For the films he directed, Vilsmaier was also the producer and first cameraman. While filming ''

Der Letzte Zug ''The Last Train'' (german: Der letzte Zug) is a 2006 German film directed by Joseph Vilsmaier and Dana Vávrová, and starring Gedeon Burkhard, Lale Yavas, and Lena Beyerling. The film depicts the fate of some of the last remaining Jews in Berlin ...

'' in 2005, probably the last film produced by Artur Brauner, he was injured when he fell off a camera tower. Subsequently, his ability to work was limited, and his wife took over directing the film. The couple was awarded the special jury prize at the 2006 Bavarian Film Awards for ''Der letzte Zug''. Dana Vávrová died on 5 February 2009. The couple had three daughters, , , and , all of whom became actresses and starred in a number of their films. Vilsmaier died on 11 February 2020.

Awards

* Bavarian Film Awards ** 1990 Best Production ** 1992 Bavarian Film Awards, Best Producing, Best Cinematography ** 1995 Bavarian Film Award, Best Production ** 1997 Bavarian Film Award, Best Director ** 2006 Bavarian Film Award, Special Prize *

18th Moscow International Film Festival The 18th Moscow International Film Festival was held from 1 to 12 July 1993. The Golden St. George was awarded to the French-Belarusian film ''Me Ivan, You Abraham'' directed by Yolande Zauberman. Jury * Claude Lelouch (France – President of t ...

** Nominated – ''Stalingrad''

Filmography

Vilsmaier directed films and television films, including: * '' Herbstmilch'' (1988) * ' (1990) * ''

Stalingrad Volgograd ( rus, Волгогра́д, a=ru-Volgograd.ogg, p=vəɫɡɐˈɡrat), geographical renaming, formerly Tsaritsyn (russian: Цари́цын, Tsarítsyn, label=none; ) (1589–1925), and Stalingrad (russian: Сталингра́д, Stal ...

'' (1993) * '' Charlie & Louise – Das doppelte Lottchen'' (1994) * ''

'' (1995) * ' (1996) * '' Comedian Harmonists'' (1997) * ''

Marlene Marlene may refer to: People * Marlene (given name), including a list of people with the name * Marlene (Burmese businesswoman), Nang Kham Noung (born 1991) * Marlene (Japanese singer) (born 1960), a Filipina jazz singer active in Japan Film * ...

'' (2000) * ''

Leo & Claire ''Leo & Claire'' (german: Leo und Claire) is a 2001 German historical drama film produced, written and directed by Joseph Vilsmaier and starring Michael Degen and Suzanne von Borsody. The film was competing at the Montreal World Film Festival on 2 ...

'' (2001) * ' (2004) * ''

Der letzte Zug ''The Last Train'' (german: Der letzte Zug) is a 2006 German film directed by Joseph Vilsmaier and Dana Vávrová, and starring Gedeon Burkhard, Lale Yavas, and Lena Beyerling. The film depicts the fate of some of the last remaining Jews in Berlin ...

'' (2006) * ' (2008, TV film) * ' (2008) * '' Nanga Parbat'' (2010) * ' (2012, TV film) * ' (2012)

References

External links

* *
Heftige Gefühle entwickeln
(portrait on the occasion of his 80th birthday) , 24 January 2019 {{DEFAULTSORT:Vilsmaier, Joseph 1939 births 2020 deaths Film directors from Munich Mountaineering film directors Commanders Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany