From writing to directing, Till Franzen does a little bit of it all. The filmmaker has worked in both film and television, bringing to life tales of mystery, intrigue, and family dramas. Franzen’s serial thrillers keep viewers tuning in. Get to know Franzen better and practice the German language with film!
About Till Franzen
Till Franzen was born on May 18th, 1973 in the far north of Germany in the city of Flensburg. In his early 20s, Franzen studied at Denmark’s European Film College and then at the Academy of Media Arts Cologne. Although Franzen has made some appearances as an actor — mostly in short films — his focus has primarily been on writing and directing.
In addition to working as a filmmaker for television and movies, Franzen has directed a number of music videos. He has worked with acts like Blumfeld and International Pony.
Franzen is married to German actress Katharina Schüttler and the couple has two daughters.
Weinberg
The German arm of the TNT television channel produced the 2015 mystery series Weinberg, or The Valley in English. Franzen directs the first four episodes of the six-part series that received a number of nominations and awards from the German television industry.
In Weinberg, a man (never named and known simply as “The Hero”) discovers a dead woman in a German vineyard. Alarmed, he goes to get help but when he returns the body has disappeared. But the real twist is when The Hero encounters the woman, now alive. She is, in fact, the Wine Queen. The Hero decides to do a little digging and find out just what is going on in this small town.
Die blaue Grenze (A Quiet Love)
Franzen both writes and directs the 2005 film Die blaue Grenze, or A Quiet Love in English. The project is Franzen’s major film debut. In the film, Momme Bief (portrayed by Antoine Monot, Jr.) must travel to the Danish border to deliver news of his father’s death to his grandfather. But Momme has not quite accepted his father’s death. Momme’s father appears to him in a series of dreams in an attempt to right past wrongs.
Nord bei Nordwest – Der Transport
Der Transport is the fourth episode of the eight-part television thriller series Nord bei Nordwest. The nearly hour and a half long made for television movie from 2017 was directed by Franzen and focuses on one time Hamburg policeman Hauke Jacobs who is seeking a new start as a veterinarian in a small town along the sea.
In the film, a Swedish gang targets a vehicle transporting expensive motorcycles for a race along the Baltic Sea coast. But it seems that the gang is not in agreement in how the spoils should be divided. Then a body washes up on the shore. The mystery pulls Jacobs back into police work as he teams up with policewoman Lona Vogt.
Practice practice practice! Discover other great German language actors and actresses previously featured.
Top photo by T. Moritz, courtesy Above the Line. This post contains affiliate links.
