The 2024 Oldenburg International Film Festival will shine a spotlight on renowned German filmmaker Dominik Graf, honoring him with a special retrospective next month. The festival, often referred to as “Germany’s Sundance,” is set to take place from September 11 to 15, and will highlight Graf’s extensive and influential career as a master of genre filmmaking in Germany.
Graf, 71, is widely regarded for his ability to infuse traditional genre cinema — particularly thrillers and crime dramas — with arthouse sensibilities and innovative storytelling. His early inspirations came from a blend of American indie directors like Sam Fuller and Robert Aldrich, alongside French New Wave auteurs such as Jean-Pierre Melville. This fusion of influences has resulted in a career that consistently defies easy categorization, seamlessly blending crime, comedy, and other genres with a uniquely artistic approach.
As part of the tribute, the festival will showcase six of Graf’s most impactful films. Among them are Die Katze (1988) and Die Sieger (1995/2018 director’s cut), two genre-defining thrillers that have cemented Graf’s reputation in German cinema. Both films exhibit his skillful balance of taut narratives, economical character development, and suspenseful direction, hallmarks that have made his work stand out in the field of German genre filmmaking.
In addition to his film work, Graf is celebrated for elevating German television. His procedural series Der Fahnder (1993) set new standards for TV movies and series in the country, and his 2010 limited series In the Face of Crime is considered a groundbreaking achievement in German television. His contributions have paved the way for future generations of filmmakers, making him a pivotal figure in both film and TV.
Graf will attend the festival and lead a masterclass on September 14, where he will delve into his creative process and approach to storytelling. The session, moderated by filmmaker and journalist Rüdiger Suchsland, promises to offer attendees a rare insight into the mind of one of Germany’s most influential directors.
Oldenburg, known for championing boundary-pushing filmmakers who blend traditional genres with indie and arthouse techniques, is the perfect platform to honor Graf’s work. The festival’s eclectic programming is a natural fit for a filmmaker who has consistently challenged the conventions of genre cinema.
The 2024 edition of the Oldenburg Film Festival will kick off on September 11 with the world premiere of Traumnovelle, an adaptation of Arthur Schnitzler’s novella that inspired Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut, directed by Florian Frerichs.
This year’s festival promises to be a celebration of creative innovation, with Graf’s retrospective serving as one of the key highlights.
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