Biografy
   

Claudia Schmid, born in Cologne in 1956, initially spent three years studying the flute and piano under Raviére—a member of the Vienna Philharmonic—at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, with the aim of pursuing a career as a flute soloist. In 1978, she shifted her focus to the visual arts, studying sculpture and ceramics at the University of Applied Arts Vienna under Prof. Maria Bilger. Following an intensive nine-month journey through India and Sri Lanka, she continued her studies in painting and sculpture in 1981 at the Academy of Fine Arts Düsseldorf under Prof. Gerhard Hoehme, Jürgen Partenheimer, and Fritz Schwegler. In 1985, she was awarded the Academy’s prestigious *Meisterschüler* (Master Student) title, and in 1986, she received a DAAD artist’s scholarship for a one-year residency in Italy. Since then, she has worked as a freelance artist, receiving numerous awards and grants. Her sculptures have been exhibited by the Guenzani Gallery in Milan, the Carini Gallery in Florence, and the Buchholz Gallery in Cologne.

 

In 1991, she transitioned into documentary filmmaking, beginning her career as a writer and director specializing in cultural programming for various German public broadcasting corporations. Over the years, she has produced approximately fifteen feature-length documentaries, focusing primarily on the visual arts and artist portraits.

 

Since 2009, she has devoted herself exclusively to feature-length documentary filmmaking. “The Silence of Innocence – The Artist Gottfried Helnwein” marks her first feature film for theatrical release. This was followed by the documentaries “The Redrawn World – The Artist Heinz Emigholz”, “Richard Deacon – In Between”, “Voices of Violence”, “Visible to all Eyes”, and “The Endless Moment – The Painter Rolf Kuhlmann”—a project in which she not only wrote the script and directed, but also, for the first time, took on the role of producer.

 

"My approach to filmmaking—both in terms of content and dramaturgical structure—is shaped by my background as a sculptor, painter, and musician. The dramaturgical construction of a film resembles a sculpture: the various narrative threads and visual layers are nested within one another—overlapping and branching out much like in a Bach fugue—to form an inherently complex, three-dimensional body composed of cinematic images and interview strands."

In my artist portraits, I aim to offer a profound insight into an artist’s creative mindset and practice—to reveal their distinctive attitudes toward life and their visions, while simultaneously reflecting upon socially relevant themes. In doing so, I am invariably drawn to original personalities: spirited "dreamers," trailblazers, visionaries, and rebels. As I view myself as both a filmmaker and an artist, I engage in an intense, peer-to-peer dialogue with the artists during the creative process—a dynamic exchange that, in turn, unleashes further creativity. My films guide the viewer into the very essence of art, mirroring the formidable challenges and obstacles—as well as the magic and transformative processes—that every artist undergoes. My own artistic background grants me an intimate and thematically deep access to the artists and their work—a quality that distinguishes my films from other artist portraits and makes them truly unique.

 

The films *Voices of Violence* and *Unter aller Augen* address the subject of "violence against women," shedding light on global structures of power and violence through the lens of four countries: the DR Congo, Benin, Bangladesh, and Germany. To locate the "invisible" women in remote bush villages—women who have endured extreme violence—and to give them a voice, I traveled through these countries alone over the course of several months; despite the inherent dangers, I lived in close proximity to these women within conflict-ridden regions. The films plunge unsparingly into the dynamics of violence, leaving no room for denial. Although these films are thematically distinct from the realm of art, my approach to the subject matter—and my engagement with the protagonists—is just as intense and radical. Moreover, in their very dramaturgical structure, they bear my unmistakable signature.”

Claudia Schmid lives and works in Cologne and is currently once again devoting herself extensively to independent artistic practice—painting and street photography.

 

Filmography – Selected Works

 

2021    “The Endless Moment – The Painter Rolf Kuhlmann”, 135 min., Feature-length Documentary

2019    „The Appearance of Things—For Those Who Want to Know“, 13 min., Short Film

2017    „Visible for all Eyes“, 90 Min., Feature-length Documentary

2016    “Voices of Violence“, 87 Min., Feature-length Documentary 

2013    “Richard Deacon – In Between”, 89 Min., Feature-length Documentary

2009    “The Redrawn World – The Artist Heinz Emigholz”, 64 min., Feature-length Documentary

2009    “Die Stille der Unschuld - Der Künstler Gottfried Helnwein”, 116 min., Feature-length Documentary

2007    “ Nature in Bottles – The Springs of Spa ”, 45 min., Feature-length Documentary

2006    “Gefährliche Idylle - zwischen Maas und Waal”, 45 min., Feature-length Documentary

2002     “Attempts of Love  – Portrait Werner Schroeter”, 65 min., Feature-length Documentary

1998     “ Royal Children - Romy Schneider & Elizabeth of Austria, 45 min., Feature-length Documentary

 

Claudia Schmid’s films have been successfully screened at various international film festivals and in numerous cinemas, as well as in renowned galleries and museums such as the Tate London, the K21 Museum in Düsseldorf, the Museum Folkwang in Wuppertal, and the Prague City Gallery. In 2003, her film „Attempts of Love – The Artist Werner Schroeter“ was awarded First Prize at the Festival International du Film.