For other people, see Edward Berger (disambiguation).
Edward Berger
Birth date6 March 1970 (age 56)
Birth placeWolfsburg, West Germany
CitizenshipSwiss · Austrian
EducationHochschule für Bildende Künste Braunschweig (1991)
Tisch School of the Arts (1994)
OccupationFilm director · producer · screenwriter
Years active1994–present
WorksDeutschland 83 (2015) · Patrick Melrose (2018) · All Quiet on the Western Front (2022) · Conclave (2024)

Edward Berger (ˈɛtvaʁt ˈbɛʁɡɐ; born 1970) is a Swiss and Austrian director and screenwriter. He is known for his work in Germany, where he was born and grew up, such as the German films Jack (2014), All My Loving (2019), and All Quiet on the Western Front (2022), as well as his English-language debut Conclave (2024). He also directed several television series including Deutschland 83 (2015) and Patrick Melrose (2018).

All Quiet on the Western Front won Berger an Academy Award for Best International Film, was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, and won three British Academy Film Awards. For Conclave, Berger received his first Golden Globe nomination for Best Director and a BAFTA for Outstanding British Film.

Early life and education

Berger was born in 1970[1] in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, then West Germany.[2] His mother was from Switzerland, and his father, who worked as a logistics manager at Volkswagen, was from Austria.[3][4] He grew up in a middle-class family with three siblings.[2]

Berger graduated from Theodor-Heuss-Gymnasium in Wolfsburg in the late 1980s.[2][5] After graduating from the Gymnasium, he attended the Hochschule für Bildende Künste Braunschweig from 1990 to 1991. He then transferred to the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, where he finished his studies in directing in 1994.[2][6]

He moved to Berlin in 1997.[7]

Berger has both Swiss[8] and Austrian citizenship through his parents.[9][10][1][11][12] He told Die Welt in 2023 that while he is not German by passport, he supports Germany in international football tournaments.[10] "If Germany plays Switzerland, I'm for Germany", he told Variety.[4] He told Die Zeit in 2023: "My father is Austrian, my mother Swiss, so there would be enough reason for me to be a little confused. What I always know is: I am European".[9]

Career

1992–2017: Early work and German films

Berger has worked mostly in Germany and the United States.[13] He gathered his first work experience at the U.S. independent production company Good Machine, working, among others, on the films of Ang Lee, Todd Haynes,[7][14] and Edward Burns. In 1994 he headed the production department of the company.[11] In 1996 he gave a guest lecture at Columbia University film school,[11] and at Universität der Künste Berlin[7] and at the HFF Potsdam.

His first feature film, based on his own screenplay, was Gomez – Kopf oder Zahl ("Gomez – Heads or Tails"), in 1998.[11] In 2002, he directed a telemovie called Asylum, which was nominated for the International Emmy Award as well as the Grimme-Preis in Germany. In 2004, he wrote and directed a telemovie, Welcome to the Club.[15]

In 2008, he worked as a screenwriter and director for four episodes of season 2 of television series KDD – Kriminaldauerdienst (KDD – Berlin Crime Squad).[15] In 2012, his film A Good Summer was awarded the Grimme-Preis.[8]

Berger co-wrote the script for his third feature film, Jack with regular collaborator Nele Mueller-Stöfen[16] (also his wife[17]). The film premiered in competition at the 2014 Berlinale,[16][18] and was awarded the 2015 German Film Award in silver for the best feature film, after being nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. It also won Best Director and Best Picture at the German Directors Guild Awards.[15] Berger said in 2023 that he has always looked for a challenge in filmmaking: "That started with Jack, where the camera was really only on the boy's face, because I didn't want to give the audience any choice but to identify with him".[14][4]

In August 2014, Berger directed the eight-part television series Deutschland 83, which premiered as a special entry in the 2015 Berlinale. It was sold internationally, including to Canal+ in France and Channel 4 in the UK, and became the first German television show ever to air in the US.[15] The series won an International Emmy in 2016.[8]

2018–present: Mainstream acclaim and independent film success

He also directed the limited series Patrick Melrose (2018), starring Benedict Cumberbatch, for which he won his first BAFTA Award, for Best Limited Series.[19] His feature film All My Loving premiered on 9 February 2019, in the Panorama section of the 2019 Berlinale.[20] The film was nominated in several categories for the preselection of the 2019 German Film Award.[21]

Berger wrote, directed, and produced All Quiet on the Western Front, released in 2022.[14] The film received more Oscar nominations than any other German film before it (nine), after winning seven BAFTAs, surpassing the previous record of five set by Cinema Paradiso in 1988.[4] At the Oscars, it won Best International Film.[22] It was praised by critics internationally, but German reviewers and historians criticised it for its lack of closeness to the book and lack of historical accuracy.[23][24]

His 2024 film Conclave, a drama set in the Holy See based on a novel by Robert Harris,[13] enjoyed great success, both critically and with audiences.[3][25][26] He described the film compared with All Quiet on the Western Front, as "like [going] from a physical war to an intellectual war. It felt like one of those great political conspiracy thrillers from the 1970s".[13] His next film, Ballad of a Small Player, was released in 2025, starring Colin Farrell and Tilda Swinton.[13][27] Berger has also directed and produced several music videos, short films, and artist film portraits.[11]

Upcoming projects

Berger has been slated to direct the next film in the Bourne franchise.[28] However, in October 2024 Berger was vague about his involvement in the film: "It's really not clear whether… I'm doing that film or not. I'm not doing it right now. And I really don't know what I will do in the future".[29]

Berger has signed to direct the science fiction thriller film The Barrier, starring Austin Butler and written by MacMillan Hedges, based on his own short story of the same name.[30] He is also set to direct a film about Evan Gershkovich, with David Weil set to pen the script.[31] Berger is also attached to direct The Riders, starring Brad Pitt and written by David Kajganich, based on the novel of the same name by Tim Winton. [32] He also produced Fatherland (2026), a biopic of Thomas Mann directed by Paweł Pawlikowski.[33]

In February 2026, it was announced that Berger will direct, as will as co-produce, a biopic about Lance Armstrong, starring Austin Butler and written by Zach Baylin.[34]

Personal life

Berger is married to German actress and screenwriter Nele Mueller-Stöfen.[35] She has starred in several of Berger's films, as well as collaborating on the script of Jack.[17]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleDirectorWriterProducerRefs.
2014Jack[15]
2019All My Loving
2022All Quiet on the Western Front
2024Conclave
2025Ballad of a Small Player
TBAThe RidersFilming

Producer

YearTitleProducerRefs.
Fatherland[36]

Television

TV movie

YearTitleDirectorWriter
1992Strait-Jacket
1993Sidewalk Hotel
1994Schrottplatz Träumereien
1995Wanderbread
1998Gomez – Kopf oder Zahl
2001Female 2 Seeks Happy End
2007Windland
2011A Good Summer
2012Mom's Gotta Go

TV series

YearTitleDirectorWriterNotes
2001–2002Schimanski2 episodes
2004BlochEpisode "Schwestern"
2005–2006Unter VerdachtWrote 2 episodes / directed 1 episode
2006–2013Tatort2 episodes
2008KDD – KriminaldauerdienstDirector of 3 episodes / Writer of 2 episodes
2010Polizeiruf 110Episode "Aquarius"
2015Deutschland 835 episodes
2018The Terror3 episodes
2018Patrick MelroseMiniseries
2019EdenCreator; 6 episodes
2020Your Honor3 episodes

Awards and nominations

OrganizationsYearCategoryWorkResultRef.
Academy Awards2023Best Adapted ScreenplayAll Quiet on the Western Front[37]
Best International Feature Film
BAFTA Awards2023Best Direction[38]
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Film Not in the English Language
2024Best DirectionConclave[39]
Outstanding British Film
Berlin International Film Festival2014Golden BearJack[40]
Capri Hollywood International Film Festival2024Best DirectorConclave[41]
Critics' Choice Movie Awards2024Best Director[42]
Directors Guild of America Awards2024Outstanding Director – Feature Film[43]
Primetime Emmy Awards2018Outstanding Director for a Limited Series or MoviePatrick Melrose[44]
Golden Globe Awards2024Best Director - Motion PictureConclave[45]
Grimme Awards2003Outstanding Individual AchievementSchimanski[8]
2012FictionA Good Summer[8][15]
2013FictionMutter muss weg[8][15]
2016Fiction - Series/MiniseriesDeutschland 83[8]

Individual recognitions

See also

References

  1. ^ "e-TALENTA". www.e-talenta.eu. Archived 20 February 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  2. ^ "Edward Berger" (in German). Munzinger Biographie. Archived 20 February 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  3. ^ Roxborough, Scott (19 September 2024). "Zurich Festival to Honor 'Conclave' Director Edward Berger". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived 19 September 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  4. ^ Berger, Edward (21 February 2023). "'All Quiet on the Western Front' Director Edward Berger: 'I Could Never Say I'm Proud to Be German'". Variety. Archived 21 February 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  5. ^ "Tatort: Wolfsburger als Regisseur erfolgreich". Archived 6 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Wolfsburger Allgemeine Zeitung, retrieved, 29 April 2015
  6. ^ Gern, Joachim. "Edward Bergers Profil". Die Agenten. Archived 4 August 2017 at the Wayback Machine. bei der Agentur Die Agenten, retrieved, 20 January 2014
  7. ^ "Vita Edward Berger". Soup Film. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
  8. ^ "Edward Berger" (in German). Die Agenten. Archived 24 September 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  9. ^ Uslar, Moritz von (15 March 2023). "Edward Berger: "Den deutschen Filmern fehlt oft die Radikalität"" (in de-DE). Die Zeit. ISSN 0044-2070. Archived 8 March 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 27 January 2025. Mein Vater ist Österreicher, meine Mutter Schweizerin, es gäbe also genug Grund für mich, ein wenig verwirrt zu sein. Was ich immer weiß, ist: Ich bin Europäer...ZEIT: Diese Unklarheit müssen Sie ausräumen: Sie sind Deutscher, aber haben außerdem einen Schweizer Pass, richtig? Berger: Ich habe einen österreichischen und einen Schweizer Pass, durch meine Eltern. Aber ich bin in Deutschland geboren. Beim Fußball halte ich klar zu Deutschland.
  10. ^ "Edward Berger: "Nein, in Deutschland wurde ich in keine Talkshow eingeladen" - WELT" (in German). Die Welt. Archived 15 August 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 28 January 2025. Obwohl ... „Sind Sie überhaupt Deutscher, Herr Berger?" – „Vom Pass her nicht. Ich bin Schweiz-Österreicher, aber in Deutschland geboren und aufgewachsen. Wenn Deutschland gegen die Schweiz oder gegen Österreich spielt, bin ich für die Deutschen."
  11. ^ "Edward Berger". swissfilms. Archived 20 February 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  12. ^ Gabelia, Alexander (30 August 2024). "FNE Podcast: Edward Berger: Director and Screenwriter". FilmNewEurope.com. Archived 9 September 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 30 January 2025. Includes link to audio.
  13. ^ Berger, Edward (25 October 2024). "'Conclave' Director Edward Berger on How Universal Doubt and the Allure of Power Inspired His Gripping Vatican Thriller". Entertainment Voice. Archived 12 November 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 27 January 2025. Oh, that is not a conversation yet. I really don't know what I'll be doing next. Up next I have a movie I already shot titled "The Ballad of a Small Player" with Colin Farrell and Tilda Swinton. It's coming out in a year. I'm sitting here editing it. Anything that's coming after that I would happily talk about but I don't know yet
  14. ^ Berger, Edward (8 March 2023). "Edward Berger: "All it takes is a good script"". The Talks. Archived 11 March 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  15. ^ "Villa Aurora Grant Recipients 2015". VATMH. Archived 23 September 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  16. ^ Lodge, Guy (7 February 2014). "Berlin Film Review: 'Jack'". Variety. Archived 24 May 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
  17. ^ "Grant Recipient Details". VATMH. Archived 12 August 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
  18. ^ "Berlinale: Jack impresses with great performances". Cineuropa. 7 February 2014. Archived 24 August 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
  19. ^ "BAFTA Awards: Television in 2019". BAFTA. 2019. Archived 18 October 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  20. ^ Björn Becher. "All My Loving – Drei Geschichten aus dem Leben" (in German). Filmstarts. Archived 13 February 2019 at the Wayback Machine.
  21. ^ "Deutscher Filmpreis 2019: Vierzehn Filme mit Filmuni- und Alumni-Background in der Vorauswahl Spielfilm" (in German). Filmuniversität Babelsberg Konrad Wolf. Archived 13 February 2019 at the Wayback Machine.
  22. ^ Pulver, Andrew (13 March 2023). "All Quiet on the Western Front wins best international feature film Oscar". the Guardian. Archived 13 March 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  23. ^ Oltermann, Philip (27 January 2023). "German critics pan Oscar-nominated All Quiet On the Western Front". The Guardian. Archived 27 January 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  24. ^ Defroe, John (16 September 2022). "'All Quiet on the Western Front' Review: A Visceral Take on the German Anti-War Classic". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived 15 September 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  25. ^ Farber, Stephen (31 August 2024). "'Conclave' Review: Ralph Fiennes Gives a Career-Best Performance in Edward Berger's Gripping Vatican-Set Drama". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived 31 August 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  26. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (18 November 2024). "How 'Conclave' Became One of Awards Season's Biggest Indie Box Office Hits". Variety. Archived 18 November 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  27. ^ Thompson, Anne (23 October 2024). "Edward Berger Elevates Papal Potboiler 'Conclave' Into an Oscar Contender — Here's How". Archived 23 October 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  28. ^ Couch, Aaron (20 November 2023). "New 'Bourne' Movie in the Works With 'All Quiet on the Western Front' Director". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  29. ^ Hermanns, Grant (26 October 2024). "Bourne 6 Reports Get Uncertain Update From Director 11 Months After Matt Damon Sequel Announcement". ScreenRant. Archived 26 November 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  30. ^ Kroll, Justin & Grobar, Matt (29 November 2024). "20th Century Wins Pre-Holiday Bidding War For Edward Berger & Austin Butler's Time Travel Film 'The Barrier' Based On MacMillan Hedges Short Story". Deadline. Archived 29 November 2024 at the Wayback Machine.
  31. ^ Kroll, Justin & Fleming, Mike (26 February 2025). "Amazon, UA, Scott Stuber To Land Evan Gershkovich Film; 'Conclave' Helmer Edward Berger To Tell Story Of WSJ Reporter Who Spent Year In Russian Prison". Deadline. Archived 26 February 2025 at the Wayback Machine.
  32. ^ Kroll, Justin (28 April 2025). "Brad Pitt & Edward Berger Team On 'The Riders' From Scott Free As A24 Boards To Distribute And Finance". Deadline. Archived 28 April 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  33. ^ Gleiberman, Owen (14 May 2026). "'Fatherland' Review: Thomas Mann and His Daughter Travel Across Germany in 1949 in Pawel Pawlikowski's Meticulous Time Machine of a Drama". Variety. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  34. ^ Kroll, Jstin & Fleming Jr., Mike (6 February 2026). "Austin Butler, Edward Berger And Scott Stuber Team For Lance Armstrong Movie Package After Stuber Closes Deal For Life Rights; Zach Baylin Penning Script". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
  35. ^ "Nele Mueller Stöfen with Husband Edward Berger Opening the 70 Berlinale with the Opening film...". IMAGO. Archived 30 January 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 30 January 2025. ...My Salinger Year, Opening of The 70th Berlinale on 20 February 2020 at Berlinale Palace in Berlin
  36. ^ Ntim, Zac (19 August 2025). "Paweł Pawlikowski Begins Production On '1949' Starring Sandra Hüller". Deadline. Archived 19 August 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
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