Born in Hilden in 1960, Christian Petzold studied film at the dffb in Berlin and is associated with the Berlin School. He writes his scripts, often with his former teacher Harun Farocki, and works regularly with the actresses Nina Hoss and Paula Beer. His 'Ghosts' trilogy (The State I Am In, Ghosts, Yella) was followed by Jerichow (2008) and the trilogy of Barbara (2012), Phoenix (2014) and Transit (2018), about love under oppressive systems. Barbara won the Silver Bear for best director, and Afire (2023) the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize.