Photo: Deutsches Filmmuseum / CC BY 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck was born on May 2, 1973 in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and is credited as a film director, screenwriter and film producer. As of 2026, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck is 53 years old. Education on record includes University of Television and Film Munich. Recorded honors include Bavarian Order of Merit, Order of Merit of North Rhine-Westphalia (2007), César Award for Best Foreign Film (2008) and 3 more. Notable works include The Lives of Others.
My Take
For me, The Lives of Others is one of the great debut features, full stop. Henckel von Donnersmarck took the suffocating world of Stasi surveillance and found the human flicker inside it, and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film felt entirely earned. The aristocratic German-Austrian background and that towering full name almost feel like a costume next to the restraint of the filmmaking itself. His later Hollywood work never quite matched that first peak for me, but very few directors get to make a film that defines a national memory. He cleared that bar on his first try, which is rare.
This take was written by generative AI, one per person, from publicly reported facts (editorial policy). It is a reading of the record, not reporting.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
- Name (Japanese)
- フロリアン・ヘンケル・フォン・ドナースマルク
- Reading
- ふろりあん・へんける・ふぉん・どなーすまるく
- Born
- May 2, 1973 (age 53)
- Origin
- Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
- Occupation
- film director / screenwriter / film producer / film editor / director
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Taurus / Ox
2. Background
- University
- University of Television and Film Munich
Awards & achievements
- Bavarian Order of Merit
- 2007 Order of Merit of North Rhine-Westphalia
- 2008 César Award for Best Foreign Film
- Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres
- 2006 European Film Award for Best Film
- 2006 European Film Award for Best Screenwriter
3. Works & records
Filmography / notable works
| Category | Title |
|---|---|
| Notable work | The Lives of Others |
4. Links
- Official sitehttps://donnersmarck.com/
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florian%20Henckel%20von%20Donnersmarck
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%95%E3%83%AD%E3%83%AA%E3%82%A2%E3%83%B3%E3%83%BB%E3%83%98%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B1%E3%83%AB%E3%83%BB%E3%83%95%E3%82%A9%E3%83%B3%E3%83%BB%E3%83%89%E3%83%8A%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B9%E3%83%9E%E3%83%AB%E3%82%AF
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q57932
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
Only publicly available facts are listed; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. Base data was compiled from Wikidata from June 2026 onward; ages are recalculated daily and deaths are checked against Wikidata on an ongoing basis. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck born?
Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck was born on May 2, 1973 and is 53 years old.
Where is Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck from?
Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck is from Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
What does Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck do?
Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck works as film director, screenwriter, film producer, film editor, director.
Where did Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck study?
Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck attended University of Television and Film Munich.
What is Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck known for?
Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck's notable works include The Lives of Others.
Film director — see all → · Screenwriter — see all → · More people from Germany → · More people born on May 2 →