Die Europa - The European Actors Award: Bruno Ganz

Bruno Ganz has been called the most European of all German actors. He worked with extraordinary directors as well as with unknown novices. He played leading roles in still legendary films. The New German Film made him as famous as he did the New German Film. "He is a highly talented guy", remarked Gustav Knuth in 1960 when Bruno Ganz played in his first role by his side. He has played in many widely different roles since, obsessed with playing, as he was portrayed by documentary film maker Norbert Wiedmer in Behind me".

Born on March 22nd, 1941, in Zurich-Seebach, the son of a Swiss father and a North-Italian mother, Bruno Ganz, after several small roles in Swiss films, played at the Junges Theater in Göttingen. Two years later he changed to the Bremer Theater, the then centre of theatrical change. He stayed there until 1969, becoming the star of the younger theatre generation. His legendary performance as Goethe’s "Torquato Tasso" is said to be the foundation moment of Peter Stein’s famous Schaubühne ensemble.

Working with Stein he appears on all the famous stages of the German-speaking theatre, most noticeable from 1971–1975 at the Theater am Halleschen Ufer in Berlin. With him, the Schaubühne becomes the centre of the European theatrical scene.



He plays with all important German-speaking stars and receives many prizes for his work. Now he starts playing abroad, being fully fluent in French and Italian. International highlights of his work are "Eternity and a day" (1998), directed by Theo Angelopoulos, and his presentation of the waiter Fernando in "Bread and Tulips" (2000) by Silvio Soldini. Recent works of his are "Luther" and ">Youth without Youth" by Francis Ford Coppola.

Awarded with many prizes, a Knight of the Foreign Legion, bearer of the Iffl and-Ring, Bruno Ganz will be presented with the European Actors Award of the International filmfest Braunschweig, donated by Volkswagen Financial Services AG, on Sunday, November 9, for his outstanding artistic achievements and his services to the art of the European film.



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