Bio
Ausbildung
BA FINE ARTS, UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN, SÜDAFRIKA
Werdegang
Oliver Schmitz studied fine arts in Cape Town, at the same time joining a collective that ran a cult nightclub SCRATCH . It became a legendary club that beat Apartheid segregation laws and nurtured a generation of creative and rebellious youth.
Schmitz made his first feature, MAPANTSULA in 1987. It is the prominent anti-Apartheid cinema icon of the time and Schmitz wrote a fake script to elude police and censors. Mapantsula has been taught in Film Studies in many universities, including Columbia University in NY, Bristol and Wits in Johannesburg.
He has made five movies for cinema, four of which have premiered in official selection in Cannes - one being the Parisian omnibus film PARIS JE T’AIME(PLACE DES FETES)(on Itunes/Apple Tv).
LIFE ABOVE ALL(GELIEBTES LEBEN/ LE SECRET DE CHANDA)(on Itunes/Apple Tv), made it onto the Oscars shortlist for Best Foreign Film(2010) and won the jury prize at the Dubai International Film festival(2010), also winning the Francois Chalais award at Cannes.
SHEPHERDS AND BUTCHERS (2016)(on Netflix/Amazon Prime) with Steve Coogan and Andrea Riseborough, premiered at the Berlinale 2016, where it won an audience award and Best Directing at the South African Film and Television Awards.
He also has an active television career, directing, amongst others, the award-winning comedy series TÜRKISCH FÜR ANFÄNGER(on Netflix) and DOCTOR’S DIARY, winning respectively, Best Series, at the German Television Awards, the German Comedy Awards and a prestigious Grimme Prize. He directed the first episodes of the ZDF primetime comedy series DAS PUBERTIER(on Amazon Prime) and the pilot for popular RTL series, ST.MAIK( nominated for the German Comedy Prize).
Television movies include all five films in the ALLEIN UNTER series with Hannes Jaenicke (nominated for Best Actor, Bavarian Film Prize 2015) and FAMILIE OHNE GRENZEN with Richie Müller and Lisa Martinek (Nominated for Best German TV film at the Jupiter Awards in 2014).
In 2018 Oliver partnered up with Aaryan Trivedi to form WTHW (what the hero wants). They have developed the screenplays BUGS AND DRUGS , 418 ( co-produced by Gaumont Germany), BOOKS AND BULLETS and YOU AND ME.
2019 Schmitz directed three episodes of PROFESSIONALS, starring Brendan Fraser, Tom Welling and Elena Anaya, with screenplays by Michael Colleary(FACE OFF)
Currently, he is in pre-production on THE OUTSIDE ROOM ( based on the novel AGAAT), starring Vanessa Redgrave, Lashana Lynch, Emily Beecham and Sverrir Gudnason.
As a screenwriter, Oliver Schmitz has written the following works that have been filmed. MAPANTSULA (cinema), HIJACK STORIES (cinema), PLACE DES FETES, PARIS JE T'AIME (cinema).
Auszeichnungen
Shepherds and Butchers
Best Directing
Issued by South African Film and Television Awards 2016
Shepherds and Butchers
Panorama Audience AwardPanorama Audience Award
Issued by Berlin International Film Festival 2016
Life, above all
Best Director, Best Picture, Jury Award Best
Issued by South African Film and Television Awards 2011
Life, above all
Roger Ebert Award 2011
Life, above all
Muhr Asia Africa - Special jury Prize
Issued by Dubai International Film Festival 2010
Life, above all
Prix Francois Chalais
Issued by Festival de Cannes - Un certain Regard 2010
Life, above all
Top Five Foreign Films 2010
Issued by National Board of Review
Doctor's Diary
Best Series
Issued by Grimme-Preis 2009
Doctor's Diary
Best Series
Issued by Deutscher Fernsehpreis 2008
Doctor's Diary
Best Series
Issued by Deutscher Comedypreis 2008
Türkisch für Anfänger
Best Drama Show or Serial
Issued by Prix Italia 2006
Türkisch für Anfänger
Nymphe D'Or
Issued by Festival de Television de Monte Carlo 2006
Mapantsula
Best Film of the Decade
Issued by South African Film and Television Awards 2006
Türkisch für Anfänger
Best Show
Issued by Deutscher Fernsehpreis 2006
Hijack Stories
Bronze Tanit
Issued by Carthage Film Festival Cinema Africano 2002
Joburg Stories
Prix du Documentaire
Issued by Vues de Afrique 1998