BARBARA ALBERT
Director, Writer, Producer
Born in Vienna in 1970, Barbara Albert studied theatre science, German language and journalism. She started with directing and screenwriting studies at the Vienna Film Academy in 1991 and worked as assistant director, script/continuity and assistant editor. She acted in the feature films “Memory of the Unknown” by Nathalie Alonso Casale and “Crash Test Dummies” by Jörg Kalt. As a writer she has worked together with the writer/directors Jasmila Zbanic, Andrea Staka, Michael Glawogger and Ruth Mader.
In 1999 she founded the production company “coop99” together with Martin Gschlacht, Jessica Hausner and Antonin Svoboda. She worked as producer on “Grbavica”, “Darwin’s Nightmare”, “Sleeper”, “Lovely Rita”.
In addition to this she has been (and still is) guest teacher and lecturer at several instotutions in Austria and Germany (Vienna Film Academy, Cologne International Film School, Karlsruhe Art History Museum, St. Pölten Film School). Her son Tristan Sunny was born in 2007, and since 2010 she has been living in Berlin.
In 2012 she received the Austrian Art Award for Film. From 2009-2011 Barbara Albert was, together with Karl Markovics, president of the Academy of Austrian Film. Since March 2013, she has been a professor of feature film directing at the Filmuniversität Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF.
FILMOGRAPHY as DIRECTOR
Licht / Mademoiselle Paradis (2017)
Spielfilm, 97 min
Internationale Premiere: Toronto Film Festival 2017
Europa Premiere: San Sebastian Film Festival 2017
Österreichischer Filmpreis 2018: Beste Kamera, bestes Szenenbild, bestes Kostümbild, beste Maske, beste weibliche Nebendarstellerin
The Dead and the Living, 112 min – 2012
International Film Festival San Sebastian 2012, in competition
Fallen (Falling), 90 min – 2006
Venice International Film Festival 2006, in competition
FESTIVALS (SELECTED)
Toronto, Reykjavik, New York, Pusan, London, Saarbrücken, Rotterdam, Belgrade, Alba (6Th Infinity Festival), Istanbul, Buenos Aires, Washington DC, San Francisco, Melbourne, Brisbane
AWARDS
Filmkunstfest Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Schwerin:
Hauptpreis Fliegender Ochse
Max-Ophüls-Preis Filmfestival Saarbrücken:
Price for Best Young Actress to Gabriela Hegedüs
Mars, 5 min – 2004
Austrian entry for VISIONS OF EUROPE – 25 Short films from 25 European directors. With Fatih Akin, Sharunas Bartas, Andy Bausch, Tony Gatlif, Sasa Gedeon, Aki Kaurismäki, Malgorzata Szumowska and others.
Böse Zellen (Free Radicals), 120 min – 2003
Locarno International Film Festival 2003,in competition
FESTIVALS (SELECTED)
Toronto, Vancouver, New York, London, Hof, Stockholm, Tallinn, Thessaloniki, Rotterdam, Helsinki, Mar Del Plata, Copenhagen, Hong Kong, Buenos Aires, Bangkok, Shanghai, Sydney, Jerusalem
Zur Lage (State of the Nation, Austria in 6 Chapters)
Documentary, Episode 30 min – 2002
together with Ulrich Seidl, Michael Glawogger and Michael Sturminger. Locarno International Film Festival 2002
FESTIVALS (SELECTED)
Hof, Jihlava, London, Florence, Amsterdam (15Th International Documentary Film Festival)
Special Mention by the Jury at the Florence International Film Festival
Nordrand, 103 min – 1999
Venice International Film Festival 1999, in competition
FESTIVALS (SELECTED)
Toronto, Pusan, Hof, Seattle, Thessaloniki, Stockholm, Triest, Brussels, New York, Singapore, Hong Kong, Sydney, Jerusalem, Moscow
AWARDS
Marcello Mastroianni Prize: Best Young Actress Nina Proll
Viennale 1999: Vienna Film Prize
International Fipresci Jury Prize
Int. Stockholm Film Festival: Best First Feature
Max-Ophüls Prize Film Festival Saarbrücken: Best Long Film
Femina Film Prize for camerawoman Christine A. Maier
John Templeton Award 2000
Slidin’ – Alles bunt und wunderbar
(Slidin’ – Bright and Shiny World), 30 min – 1997
Rotterdam Int. Film Festival 1999, Tiger Award Competition
Various Film Festivals
Somewhere else (Documentary, 60 min) – 1997
Sonnenflecken (Sunspots), 25 min – 1996
Various Film Festivals
AWARDS
Win Femme Film Festival
Los Angeles 1999: Best Short Film
Die Frucht deines Leibes (The Fruit of thy Womb), 27 min – 1994
Venice Film Festival 1996
AWARDS
Int. Film Festival Locarno 1997: Leopards of tomorrow, Prix SSR
Rencontres Internationales Henri Langlois Festival du Film, Poitiers: Le Prix Spécial du Jury
Krakow International Short Film Festival: The Jury‘s Diploma of Honour
31st Humboldt International Film Festival, Arcata ’98: Best Film of the Festival, Best International Film
Nachtschwalben (Nightjars), 7 min – 1993
AWARDS
Max Ophüls Prize Saarbrücken 1994: Best Short Film Student Film
Student Film Festival Vienna 1994: Best Short Film
FILMOGRAPHY as SCREENWRITER
Fire in Cairo, script for a 90 min Film – 2010
in development
supported by ScriptLAB, Drehbuchforum and the Austrian Film Institute, Material Development
The Dead and the Living, 112 min – 2009
written & directed
World Premiere at International Film Festival San Sebastian 2012, in competition
Me (Ich), 90 min – 2007
Fallen (Falling), 90 min – 2005
written & directed
World Premiere at Venice International Film Festival 2006, in competition
Auswege, 90 min – 2005
Director Nina Kusturica
World Premiere at 2004 Berlin Film Festival, Perspectives of Young Film
Mars, 5 min – 2004
written & directed
Austrian entry for VISIONS OF EUROPE – 25 Short films from 25 European directors
Böse Zellen (Free Radicals), 120 min – 2002
written & directed
World Premiere at Locarno International Film Festival 2003, in competition
Nordrand, 100 min – 1998
written & directed
WORLD PREMIERE
Venice International Film Festival 1999, in competition
Slidin’ – Alles bunt und wunderbar
(Slidin’ – Bright and Shiny World), 30 min – 1997
written & directed
World Premiere at Rotterdam International Film Festival 1999, Tiger Award Competition
Sonnenflecken (Sunspots), 25 min – 1996
written & directed
Die Frucht deines Leibes (The Fruit of thy Womb), 27 min – 1994
written & directed
Venice International Film Festival 1996
Nachtschwalben (Nightjars), 7 min – 1993
written & directed
Max Ophüls Prize Saarbrücken 1994: Best Short Film
FILMOGRAPHY as CO-WRITER
Nadine und Vladimir, 90 min – 2011
ORF contract work, revision of a script by Marlene Streeruwitz
Cure, 90 min – 2010
with Andrea Staka (CH)
in production
Grbavica (Esmas Geheimnis), 90 min – 2005
with Jasmila Zbanic (BIH)
Director: Jasmila Zbanic
World Premiere at 2006 Berlin Film Festival in competition: winner of the Golden Bear
Das Fräulein, 90 min – 2005
with Andrea Staka (CH)
Director: Andrea Staka
World Premiere at Film Festival Locarno 2006, in competition: winner of the Golden Leopard
Slumming, 90 min – 2005
with Michael Glawogger
Director: Michael Glawogger
World Premiere at 2006 Berlin Film Festival, in competition
Struggle, 90 min – 2003
with Ruth Mader
Director: Ruth Mader
World Premiere at the International Film Festival Cannes 2003, Un Certain Regard
AWARDS AS SCREENWRITER
Flanders International Film Festival 2006
Script Prize with Michael Glawogger für “Slumming”
Thomas Pluch script prize of German Chancellery 2004
for “Böse Zellen” (“Free Radicals”)
Max-Ophüls prize Saarbrücken 2000
Best Screenplay for “Nordrand”
Thomas Pluch script prize of German Chancellery 1998
for “Slidin’ – alles bunt und wundrbar” (“Slidin’ – Bright and Shiny World”)
Carl Mayer script prize 1996
for the treatment of “Nordrand”
FILMOGRAPHY as ACTRESS
“Russian” girl in Memory of the Unknown 1996
Director: Nathalie A. Casale (NL)
“Rita” in Crash Test Dummies 2005
Director: Jörg Kalt
SPECIAL FOCUS SHOWS
Alba Infinity Film Festival 2006
Cork Film Festival 2004
FILMOGRAPHY as PRODUCER
Quo Vadis, Aida? (2020)
By Jasmila Žbanić
Oscar Nomination 2021
Austrian Film Award 2021: Best Supporting Female – Edita Malovčić, Best Cinematography – Christine A. Maier, Best Make-up – Michaela Payer, Best Production Design – Hannes Salat.
Romy Nomination 2021: Best Book Cinema, Best Production, Best Director Cinema, Best Cinematography Cinema.
Me,We (2020)
by David Clay Diaz, 2021
Filmkunstfest Mecklenburg-Vorpommern: The Flying Ox 2021
On the path (Na Putu) by Jasmila Zbanic, 2010
März by Händl Klaus, 2008
Silver Leopard for Best First Film at the International Film Festival in Locarno in Locarno
Special Jury Prize at Sarajevo Film Festival
Grbavica (Esmas Geheimnis) by Jasmila Zbanic, 2005
Bear for Best Film at 2006 Berlin Film Festival
Die fetten Jahre sind vorbei (The Edukators) by Hans Weingartner, 2004
German Film Prize in Silver in the category Best Feature Film
German Film Prize for Burghart Klaußner as Best Supporting Actor
Audience Prize at the Miami International Film Festival
Munich Film Festival: German Film Prize for Director, Cast and Script
German Film Critics Prize 2004 for Best Feature Film and Best Actress for Julia Jentsch
26. Bavarian Film Prize for Julia Jentsch as Best Young Actress
Silver Giraldillo, Festival de Cine in Sevilla
Darwin’s Nightmare by Hubert Sauper, 2004
Academy Award Nomination as Best Documentary Feature
Les Césars du Cinema nominated in the category Best First Film
Schläfer by Benjamin Heisenberg, 2004
Max-Ophüls Prize, Best Screenplay and Best Film Music Saarbrücken 2006
Film Festival Angers: Prix Spécial Du Jury
Lovely Rita von Jessica Hausner, 2002
Vienna Film Prize 2002
FIPRESCI Award: Special Mention 2002