Benjamin Herrmann (born July 17, 1971) is a German film producer and

distributor A distributor is an electric and mechanical device used in the ignition system of older spark-ignition engines. The distributor's main function is to route electricity from the ignition coil to each spark plug at the correct time. Design ...

Career

Benjamin Herrmann studied Directing at the Munich Academy for Film and Television. After graduating with his award-winning short film '' Der große Lacher (The Big Laugh)'' in 1997, he headed private broadcaster

ProSieben ProSieben (, ''sieben'' is German for "seven"; often stylized as Pro7) is a German free-to-air television network owned by ProSiebenSat.1 Media. It was launched on 1 January 1989. It is Germany's second-largest privately owned television company ...

’s production department, where he executive produced over 40 TV movies and feature films, including Germany’s most successful film of all times, ''

Der Schuh des Manitu () is a 2001 German Western parody film. Directed by Michael Herbig, it is a film adaptation of the Winnetou sketches from his ProSieben television show '' Bullyparade''. With earnings of about ($70 million) and 11.7 million visitors in cine ...

(Manitou's Shoe)''. From 2000 to 2006 he was managing director of Germany’s mini-major Senator’s production and distribution outfits. There, he produced and distributed commercially successful and critically acclaimed films like '' Das Experiment'', '' Das Wunder von Bern (The Miracle of Bern)'' and

Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...

-nominee '' Joyeux Noël (Merry Christmas)''. His distribution projects further included

Ridley Scott Sir Ridley Scott (born 30 November 1937) is an English film director and producer. He directs films in the Science fiction film, science fiction, Crime film, crime, and historical drama, historical epic genres, with an atmospheric and highly co ...

’s '' Black Hawk Down'',

Lasse Hallström Lars Sven "Lasse" Hallström (; born 2 June 1946) is a Swedish film director. He first became known for directing almost all the music videos by the pop music, pop group ABBA, but came to international attention with his 1985 feature film ''My L ...

’s '' Chocolat'',

Jonathan Glazer Jonathan Glazer (born 26 March 1965) is an English filmmaker. He began his career in theatre before transitioning into film, directing the features '' Sexy Beast'' (2000), ''Birth'' (2004), '' Under the Skin'' (2013), and '' The Zone of Inter ...

’s ''

Sexy Beast ''Sexy Beast'' is a 2000 black comedy crime film directed by Jonathan Glazer (in his feature film directorial debut) and written by Louis Mellis and David Scinto. It stars Ray Winstone, Ben Kingsley, and Ian McShane. It follows Gary "Gal" ...

'' and

Alejandro Amenábar Alejandro Fernando Amenábar Cantos (born 31 March 1972) is a Chilean-Spanish film director, screenwriter and composer. He has won nine Goya Awards—including Best Director for his 2001 film '' The Others''—and two European Film Awards amon ...

’s '' The Others''. In 2006 he set up his own production and distribution company, Majestic. He quickly assembled a slate of highly successful films:

Doris Dörrie Doris Dörrie (; born 26 May 1955) is a German film director, producer and author. Early life and education Born in Hanover, Dörrie completed her secondary education there in 1973. The same year, she began a two-year attendance in film studies ...

’s box office hit '' Kirschblüten - Hanami (Cherry Blossoms)'',

Philipp Stölzl Philipp Stölzl (born 1967 in Munich) is a German director. He began to direct music videos in the mid-1990s and directed his first feature film in 2002. Life and career Philipp Stölzl was trained as a set and costume designer at the Münchner ...

’s mountain drama ''

Nordwand The Eiger () is a mountain of the Bernese Alps, overlooking Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen in the Bernese Oberland of Switzerland, just north of the main watershed and border with Valais. It is the easternmost peak of a ridge crest that extends a ...

(North Face)'', Sherry Hormann’s adaptation of

Waris Dirie Waris Dirie (; born 21 October 1965) is a Somali model, author, actress and human rights activist in the fight against female genital mutilation ( FGM). From 1997 to 2003, she was a UN special ambassador against FGM. In 2002 she founded her own ...

’s best-selling novel '' Desert Flower'',

-winner

Florian Gallenberger Florian Gallenberger (born 23 February 1972 in Munich) is a German film director and writer. His film ''Quiero ser (I want to be...)'' was awarded the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film in 2001. Career Gallenberger appeared in various ...

’s ''

John Rabe John Heinrich Detlef Rabe (23 November 1882 – 5 January 1950) was a de-nazified NSDAP member, diplomat and businessman best known for his efforts to stop war crimes during the Japanese Nanjing Massacre and protect Chinese civilians. Th ...

'',

Hermine Huntgeburth Hermine Huntgeburth (born 13 November 1957) is a German film director producer and university lecturer. She is best known for her 2005 film '' The White Masai''. Background Huntgeburth grew up in a Catholic family of doctors with nine siblings ...

’s adaptation of

Mark Twain Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, and essayist. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has produced," with William Fau ...

’s classic novel ''

Tom Sawyer Thomas "Tom" Sawyer () is the title character of the Mark Twain novel '' The Adventures of Tom Sawyer'' (1876). He appears in three other novels by Twain: '' Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'' (1884), '' Tom Sawyer Abroad'' (1894), and '' Tom Sawy ...

'',

David Wnendt David (; , "beloved one") was a king of ancient Israel and Judah and the Kings of Israel and Judah, third king of the Kingdom of Israel (united monarchy), United Monarchy, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament. The Tel Dan stel ...

’s adaptation of

Charlotte Roche Charlotte Elisabeth Grace Roche (born 18 March 1978) is a British-German television presenter, author, producer, and actress.Wetlands A wetland is a distinct semi-aquatic ecosystem whose groundcovers are flooded or saturated in water, either permanently, for years or decades, or only seasonally. Flooding results in oxygen-poor ( anoxic) processes taking place, especially ...

'' and

Christian Zübert Christian Zübert (born 1973, Würzburg) is a German film director and screenwriter. Career Zübert started out as a screenwriter for German television. In 2000 he directed and wrote his first feature ''Lammbock'', which was a surprise hit in Ger ...

’s Florian David Fitz starrer '' Tour de Force''. His production '' Colonia'' by

-winner

, starring

Emma Watson Emma Charlotte Duerre Watson (born 15 April 1990) is an English actress. Known for her roles in both Blockbuster (entertainment), blockbusters and independent films, she has received List of awards and nominations received by Emma Watson, ...

Daniel Brühl Daniel César Martín Brühl González (; ; born 16 June 1978) is a German and Spanish actor. He has received various accolades, including three European Film Awards and three German Film Awards, along with nominations for two Golden Globe Awar ...

and

Michael Nyqvist Rolf Åke Mikael Nyqvist (; 8 November 1960 – 27 June 2017) was a Swedish actor. Educated at the School of Drama in Malmö, he became well known for playing police officer Banck in the 1997–1998 Martin Beck TV series and for his leading role ...

, had its world premiere at the

Toronto International Film Festival The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the most prestigious and largest publicly attended film festivals in the world. Founded in 1976, the festival takes place every year in early September. The organi ...

and was released all over the world in 2016. His production '' As Green As It Gets'', again directed by long-time partner

, hat its world premiere in competition at the

Shanghai International Film Festival The Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF, , French: ''Festival international du film de Shanghai'') is the largest film festival in Asia and China's longest-running international cinema event. The first festival was established in Octobe ...

in 2018. To date, Majestic’s films have reached 10 million admissions in German cinemas and won 11 German Academy Awards. For ''

'' Benjamin Herrmann was awarded with the German Academy Award. Furthermore, he received 3

Bavarian Film Awards The Bavarian Film Awards () are film awards given to German films in the state of Bavaria, awarded by the state government. Background and description The Bavarian Film Awards have been awarded annually since 1979 by the state government of Bav ...

for Best Picture for '' Desert Flower'', ''

'' as well as for '' Colonia''. Benjamin is a member of the

European Film Academy The European Film Academy is a group of European film director, filmmakers who come together in Berlin on the occasion of the first presentation of the European Film Awards in November 1988. Every year, the European Film Academy honors films an ...

and chairman of the German Film Academy.

Awards

;Won *2016

, Best Picture *2010

, Best Picture '' Desert Flower'' *2009

, Best Picture ''

'' *2009 German Academy Awards, Best Picture ''

'' *1998 Studio Hamburg Young Director's Award, Best Short Film '' Der große Lacher (The Big Laugh)'' ;Nominated *2006

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence in ...

, Best Foreign Language Film '' Joyeux Noël (Merry Christmas)'' *1998 Max Ophüls Award, Best Short Film '' Der große Lacher (The Big Laugh)''

Filmography

The most well-known movies produced by Herrmann include * ''

(Manitou's Shoe)'' (2001) * '' Das Experiment'' (2001) * '' If It Don't Fit, Use a Bigger Hammer'' (2002) * '' Das Wunder von Bern (The Miracle of Bern)'' (2003) * '' Joyeux Noël (Merry Christmas)'' (2005) * '' Wo ist Fred? (Special)'' (2006) * ''

(North Face)'' (2008) * ''

'' (2009) * '' Desert Flower'' (2009) * ' (2011) * '' Tour de Force'' (2014) * '' Colonia'' (2015) * '' As Green As It Gets'' (2019)

References

External links

*
Majestic's official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Herrmann, Benjamin 1971 births Living people German film producers University of Television and Film Munich alumni People from Friedberg, Hesse Film people from Hesse