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  • WHAT THE HERO WANTS BRINGS THE UGLY STEPSISTER TO AFRICA
    WHAT THE HERO WANTS is releasing the Sundance and Berlinale Norwegian horror hit THE UGLY STEPSISTER on the African continent. Screenings in South Africa start in May 2025
  • REPRESENTATION
    Olgu Caglar
    ACTORS GARDEN CREATIVE AGENCY
    [email protected]
    +44 7367 105948

    In South Africa:
    Nina Morris Lee
    MLA
    [email protected]
    +27 87 806 6970
  • DIE HEILAND /STAFFEL 5
    Abgedreht! Oliver Schmitz hat die Regie der ersten vier Folgen der Staffel 5 abgedreht.
  • MAPANTSULA ON NETFLIX
    MAPANTSULA is number 5 in the top 10 on Netflix in South Africa.
  • WHAT THE HERO WANTS ACQUIRES IRISH HIT "KNEECAP" SHORTLISTED FOR TWO OSCARS!
    Proud to announce that together with Aaryan Trivedi, my Partner at WHAT THE HERO WANTS, we have acquired African rights fto KNEECAP - the Irish entry to the Oscars in 2025. Screenings start in South Africa on December 13th, 2024. The film has already achieved cult status after its UK release earlier this year and is NME movie of the year.

About Oliver Schmitz

Oliver Schmitz is a German/South African director who lives in Berlin Germany and works both in film and television as a director, writer, and producer.

He is hearing disabled, but has overcome the obstacles and stigma connected with this and works with loving and supportative teams. He passionately supports equal access to work for all disabled persons.

Critic Rainer Tittelbach has called Schmitz "King of Comedy" for his various contributions to the comedy genre in Germany and the legendary Roger Ebert awarded him a Golden Thumb for his Oscar-shortlisted movie "Life Above All". Such is the broad range of his work.

In 2023 Schmitz restored his iconic Anti-Apartheid film MAPANTSULA, and it was showcased in Berlinale Classics at the Berlin Film Festival the same year, with works of David Cronenberg, Charlie Chaplin, and Stanley Kramer. He has made five movies for cinema, four of which have screened in official selection in Cannes - one being the Parisian omnibus film PARIS JE T’AIME (PLACE DES FETES) with fellow directors – the Coen brothers, Gus van Sant, Tom Tykwer and Alexander Payne amongst others. The other movies are all South African subjects, the previous of which, LIFE ABOVE ALL (GELIEBTES LEBEN/ LE SECRET DE CHANDA), 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, and the Audience award and Golden Alhambra nomination at the 2011 Granada Film festival.

SHEPHERDS AND BUTCHERS (2016) 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 Award and the prestigious Grimme Prize twice. 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).

He has worked with amongst others, Brendan Fraser, Andrea Riseborough, Steve Coogan, Elias Mbarek, Florian David Fitz and has projects in development with Vanessa Redgrave, Emily Beecham, Lashana Lynch and Tim Roth.

He is CEO of WHAT THE HERO WANTS, distributing cinema to the African continent.

Known for

Fictional movies as director

YearTitleGenreDirectorProducerComment
2024Die Heiland - Wir sind AnwaltTV Series, ARD [de]MultipleOLGA FILM GmbH
2023Mord mit AussichtTV Series, ARD [de], WDR [de]MultipleClaussen+Putz Filmproduktion GmbH (formerly Claussen+Wöbke+Putz)
2022
Die Heiland - Wir sind Anwalt
TV Series, ARD [de]MultipleOLGA FILM GmbH
2021Marie Brand und der entsorgte MannTV-Movie (Series), ZDF [de]Oliver SchmitzWarner Bros. ITVP Deutschland GmbH
2021Die Heiland - Wir sind AnwaltTV Series, ARD [de]MultipleOLGA FILM GmbH
2020Klara Sonntag - Kleine Fische, große FischeTV-Movie (Series), ARD [de], Degeto [de]Oliver SchmitzGaumont GmbH [de]
2019
Professionals
TV Series, ViaplayOliver SchmitzSaint Moon Hill Productions [za]
2018Jenny - echt gerecht!TV Series, RTL [de]MultipleITV Studios Germany Fiction GmbH (formerly Talpa Germany Fiction GmbH)
2018
Amokspiel
TV Movie, SAT.1 [de]Oliver SchmitzTV60Filmproduktion GmbH
2017Von Fall zu Fall - Stubbe - Tod auf der InselTV-Movie (Series), ZDF [de]Oliver SchmitzPolyphon Film GmbH
2017Der Usedom-Krimi - GeisterschiffTV-Movie (Series), ARD [de], Degeto [de], NDR [de]Oliver SchmitzPolyphon Film GmbH
2017Das PubertierTV Series, ZDF [de]Oliver SchmitzUFA Fiction
2016Sankt MaikTV Series, RTL [de]Oliver SchmitzUFA Fiction
2016Liebling, lass die Hühner freiTV-Movie (Series), Degeto [de], WDR [de]Oliver SchmitzUFA Fiction
2016
Familie mit Hindernissen
TV-Movie (Series), MDR [de], ORF [at]Oliver SchmitzAriane Krampe Filmproduktion
2016Lucie Marshall (Webserie)SeriesOliver SchmitzMaz & Movie GmbH [de]
2015Schandfleck - Der Usedom-KrimiTV-Movie (Series), ARD [de], Degeto [de], NDR [de]Oliver SchmitzRazor Film Produktion GmbH [de]
2015
Shepherds and Butchers

Panorama, Berlinale
Feature FilmOliver SchmitzDistant Horizon [us]Panorama, Berlinale
2014Allein unter ÄrztenTV-Movie (Series), SAT.1 [de]Oliver SchmitzHager Moss Film GmbH
2014Reiff für die Insel - Katharina und der SchäferTV-Movie (Series), ARD [de]Oliver SchmitzNordfilm GmbH [de]

Non-fictional movies as director

YearTitleGenreDirectorProducerComment
1996Jo'burg StoriesDocumentary, arteOliver SchmitzCatalyst Films [za]

Film awards

YearFilmAwardCategory 
2014
Willkommen im Club
Jupiter AwardBester TV-Spielfilm nationalNominated
2009Doctor’s Diary - Männer sind die beste MedizinAdolf-Grimme-PreisUnterhaltung (stellv. für Regie)Winner
2006
Türkisch für Anfänger
Adolf Grimme PreisUnterhaltungWinner
1998Jo'burg StoriesFestival Vues D'Afrique deMontréalPrix du DocumentaireWinner
1989
Mapantsula
Evangelischer FilmpreisKinofilmWinner
1989
Mapantsula
Australian Human Rights AwardspielfilmWinner

Awards

YearAward
2023Mapantsula 4K Restoration - Human Rights Award Artfluence Diff Human Rights Award / Durban International Film Festival
2017Shepherds and Butchers - Publikums Preis, Bester Spielfilm, Afrika Film Festival Köln
2016Shepherds and Butchers - Best Feature Narrative, Woodstock Film Festival
2016Shepherds and Butchers - Best Director, South African Film and Television Awards
2016Shepherds and Butchers - Berlin Film Festival, Panorama - Audience Award
2012Life, Above All - Best Feature Film, Writing Team - South African Film and Television Awards
2011Life, Above All - Audience Award, Granada Film Festival Cines del Sur
2011Life, Above All - Audience Award, Festival Lumieres d'Afrique, Besancon
2011Life, Above All - Best Director, South African Film and Television Awards
2011Life, Above All - Shortlist, Best Foreign film, Academy Awards
2011Life Above All/Geliebtes Leben - Roger Ebert Award
2010Life, Above All - Best Director, Best Script, South African Film and Television Awards
2010Life Above All/Geliebtes Leben - Top Five Foreign Films - National Board of Review
2010Life Above All/Geliebtes Leben - Francois Chalais Preis Cannes
2010Life Above All/Geliebtes Leben - Muhr Asia Africa- Special Jury Prize
2008Doctor's Diary - Best Series Deutscher Fernsehpreis
2008Doctor's Diary - German Comedy Prize
2006Türkisch für Anfänger - Winner Grand Prix 'Cinéma Tout Ecran' Best International Series Türkisch für Anfänger
2006Türkisch für Anfänger - Best Show Best Show - Deutscher Fernsehpreis
2005Mapantsula, Film of Decade, South African Film and Television Awards
2002Hijack Stories - Bronze Tanit Bronze Tanit - Carthage Film Festival Cinema Africano
1988Mapantsula - Best Script (with Thomas Mogotlane) / AA Vita Awards
1988Mapantsula - Best Film / AA Vita Awards
1988Mapantsula - Best Directing / AA Vita Awards

Basic data

NationalityGerman, South African
LanguagesDutchEnglishGermanZulu
Experience abroadAustralia and Oceania: New Zealand
Central Europe: Austria, Germany, Poland
North Africa: Morocco
East Africa: Zimbabwe
South Africa: South Africa
Southern Europe: Italy
Western Europe: France, United Kingdom
Special skillsEditor, Writer, Director, Producer, Distributer
EducationBA FINE ARTS, University of Cape Town
(majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies)

Online (certified) studies in:
Psychology, Climatology, Primatology, Neurobiology of the brain and of sleep.
Preferred place of workGermany, South Africa, English-speaking countries
Immediate working areaBerlin
Tax residence (federal state or country)Germany - Berlin
Associations