View source for Joseph Vilsmaier

{{Short description|German film director (1939–2020)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox person
|image =
| name        = Joseph Vilsmaier
| birth_date   = {{Birth date|1939|1|24|df=yes}}
| birth_place  = [[Munich]], Bavaria, [[Nazi Germany]]
| death_date   = {{death date and age|2020|2|11|1939|1|24|df=y}}
| death_place  = Munich, Bavaria, Germany
| othername   =
| occupation  = Film director
| yearsactive = 1970–2020
}}
'''Joseph Vilsmaier''' ({{IPA|de|ˈjoːzɛf ˈfɪlsmaɪ.ɐ|pron|De-Joseph Vilsmaier.ogg}}, 24 January 1939 – 11 February 2020)<ref name="Filmportal" /> was a German film director who began his career as a technician and cameraman. He is internationally known for films such as ''[[Comedian Harmonists (film)|Comedian Harmonists]]''.

== Life ==
Born in [[Munich]]. Vilsmaier attended a boarding school near [[Augsburg]]. He then trained as a technician to make film cameras, and studied piano at the [[Musikhochschule München]].<ref name="BR" /> He was a member of a jazz group. After working as a technician, he moved into film, first as a material and camera assistant, then from 1961 as a cameraman. He filmed episodes of television series such as ''[[Tatort]]''.<ref name="BR" />

His debut film as director, ''[[Herbstmilch (film)|Herbstmilch]]'' in 1988, starring his wife, [[Dana Vávrová]], was a huge success.<ref name="BR" /> In 1995, he directed ''[[Brother of Sleep|Schlafes Bruder]]'', after [[Schlafes Bruder|the novel]] by [[Robert Schneider (writer)|Robert Schneider]]. In 1997, he directed ''[[Comedian Harmonists (film)|Comedian Harmonists]]'' which became an international success.<ref name="BR" /> For the films he directed, Vilsmaier was also the producer and first cameraman.<ref name="Filmportal" />

While filming ''[[Der Letzte Zug]]'' in 2005, probably the last film produced by [[Artur Brauner]], he was injured when he fell off a camera tower.<ref name="BR" /> Subsequently, his ability to work was limited, and his wife took over directing the film. The couple was awarded the special jury prize at the 2006 [[Bayerischer Filmpreis|Bavarian Film Awards]] for ''Der letzte Zug''.<ref name="Bavaria" />

Vávrová died on 5 February 2009.<ref name="Welt" /> The couple had three daughters, {{ill|Janina Vilsmaier|de|lt=Janina}}, {{ill|Theresa Vilsmaier|de|lt=Theresa}}, and {{ill|Josefina Vilsmaier|de|lt=Josefina}},<ref name="BR" /> all of whom became actresses and starred in a number of their films.<ref name="Welt" />

Vilsmaier died on 11 February 2020.<ref name="BR" />

==Awards==
* [[Bayerischer Filmpreis|Bavarian Film Awards]]
** 1990 Best Production<ref name="Pierrot" />
** 1992 Bavarian Film Awards, Best Producing, Best Cinematography<ref name="Pierrot" />
** 1995 Bavarian Film Award, Best Production<ref name="Pierrot" />
** 1997 Bavarian Film Award, Best Director<ref name="Pierrot" />
** 2006 Bavarian Film Award, Special Prize<ref name="Bavaria" />
* [[18th Moscow International Film Festival]]
** Nominated – ''Stalingrad''<ref name="Moscow 1993" />

== Filmography ==
Vilsmaier directed films and television films, including:<ref name="Filmportal" />
{{div col}}
* ''[[Herbstmilch (film)|Herbstmilch]]'' (1988)
* ''{{ill|Rama dama (film)|de|Rama dama (Film)|lt=Rama dama}}'' (1990)
* ''[[Stalingrad (1993 film)|Stalingrad]]'' (1993)
* ''[[Charlie & Louise – Das doppelte Lottchen]]'' (1994)
* ''[[Brother of Sleep|Schlafes Bruder]]'' (1995)
* ''{{ill|And Nobody Weeps for Me|de|Und keiner weint mir nach (Film)}}'' (1996)
* ''[[Comedian Harmonists (film)|Comedian Harmonists]]'' (1997)
* ''[[Marlene (2000 film)|Marlene]]'' (2000)
* ''[[Leo & Claire]]'' (2001)
* ''{{ill|Rock Crystal (2004 film)|de|3=Bergkristall (Film)|lt=Rock Crystal}}'' (2004)
* ''[[Der letzte Zug|The Last Train (Der letzte Zug)]]'' (2006)
* ''{{ill|Ship of No Return: The Final Voyage of the Gustloff|de|Die Gustloff}}'' (2008, TV film)
* ''{{ill|The Legend of Brandner Kaspar|de|Die Geschichte vom Brandner Kaspar}}'' (2008)
* ''[[Nanga Parbat (film)|Nanga Parbat]]'' (2010)
* ''{{ill|Russisch Roulette|de|3=Russisch Roulette (2012)}}'' (2012, TV film)
* ''{{Ill|The Perjured Farmer (2012 film)|de|3=Der Meineidbauer (2012)|lt=The Perjured Farmer}}'' (2012, TV film)
* ''{{ill|Bavaria – Traumreise durch Bayern|de}}'' (2012)
{{end div col}}

==References==
{{reflist
| refs =

<ref name="Bavaria">{{cite web
| url = http://www.bayern.de/Pressemitteilungen-.1255.19209/index.htm
| title = Ministerpräsident Stoiber verleiht Bayerischen Filmpreis 2006
| date = 19 January 2007
| access-date = 13 February 2020
| website = [[Bavaria]]
| url-status = dead
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120209215437/http://www.bayern.de/Pressemitteilungen-.1255.19209/index.htm
| archive-date = 9 February 2012
}}</ref>

<ref name="BR">{{cite web
| url = https://www.br.de/nachrichten/kultur/joseph-vilsmaier-tod-nachruf,RqHB4BS
| title = Sein Leben war "Fasching": Zum Tod von Joseph Vilsmaier
| website = [[Bayerischer Rundfunk|BR]]
| language = de
| date = 12 February 2020
| access-date = 13 February 2020
}}</ref>

<ref name="Filmportal">{{cite web
| url = https://www.filmportal.de/person/joseph-vilsmaier_13f708afe09f44bfba0351080816db83
| title = Joseph Vilsmaier
| website = Filmportal
| language = de
| date = 6 February 2009
| access-date = 8 February 2009
}}</ref>

<ref name="Moscow 1993">{{cite web
| url = http://www.moscowfilmfestival.ru/miff34/eng/archives/?year=1993
| title = 18th Moscow International Film Festival (1993)
| access-date = 9 March 2013
| website = [[Moscow International Film Festival]]
| url-status = dead
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140403093721/http://www.moscowfilmfestival.ru/miff34/eng/archives/?year=1993
| archive-date = 3 April 2014
}}</ref>

<ref name="Pierrot">{{cite web
| url = http://www.bayern.de/Anlage19170/PreistraegerdesBayerischenFilmpreises-Pierrot.pdf
| title = Pierrot
| access-date = 13 February 2020
| website = [[Bavaria]]
| url-status = dead
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090325011005/http://www.bayern.de/Anlage19170/PreistraegerdesBayerischenFilmpreises-Pierrot.pdf
| archive-date = 25 March 2009
}}</ref>

<ref name="Welt">{{cite news
| url = https://www.welt.de/kultur/article3158139/Schauspielerin-Dana-Vavrova-stirbt-mit-41-Jahren.html
| title = Schauspielerin Dana Vávrová stirbt mit 41 Jahren
| newspaper = [[Die Welt]]
| publisher = Axel Springer AG
| language = de
| date = 6 February 2009
| access-date = 8 February 2009
}}</ref>

}}

== External links ==
* {{DNB portal|118912216}}
* {{IMDb name|id=0005917|name=Joseph Vilsmaier}}
* [https://titel-kulturmagazin.net/2019/01/23/menschen-zum-80-geburtstag-des-filmregisseurs-joseph-vilsmaier/ Heftige Gefühle entwickeln] (portrait on the occasion of his 80th birthday) {{ill|Titel-Kulturmagazin|de}}, 24 January 2019

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Vilsmaier, Joseph}}
[[Category:1939 births]]
[[Category:2020 deaths]]
[[Category:Film directors from Munich]]
[[Category:Commanders Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany]]