Philipp Eichholtz

Born in 1982, father died in 1984, grew up with grandma in small village near Osnabrück, Germany. 1985: first cinema trip (The Jungle Book). Entered secondary school in 1995; thrown out in 1996. Began writing in 1997. 1998: had to repeat a school year and met Oliver Jerke, now producer of his films. Made first short in 1999, rejected by German Film and Television Academy in 2006, probably deservedly so, according to himself. From 2008-12: hung out with Jerry Schatzberg in New York. 2013: found his voice as a storyteller. 2016: sold his first two films to Netflix. 2017: learnt that German film funders promoting young talents punish those making small films with no money.

Berlinale