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Rainer Werner Fassbinder

Director

Rainer Werner Fassbinder

Born May 31, 1945 in Bad Wörishofen, GermanyDied June 10, 198241 films

Rainer Werner Fassbinder (31 May 1945 — 10 June 1982) was a German film director, screenwriter, and actor. Considered one of the most important figures in the New German Cinema, Fassbinder was prolific; in a professional career less than fifteen years, he completed forty feature-length films, two television film series, three short films, four video productions, twenty-four stage plays, and four radio plays.

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He had tortured, personal relationships with the actors and technicians around him who formed a surrogate family. However, his pictures demonstrate his deep sensitivity to social outsiders and his hatred of institutionalized violence. He ruthlessly attacked both German bourgeois society and the larger limitations of humanity.

Fassbinder died in June 1982 at the age of 37 from a lethal cocktail of cocaine and barbiturates. His death has often been cited as the event that ended the New German Cinema movement.

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The best way into Rainer Werner Fassbinder's work
Ali: Fear Eats the Soul posterFirst watchAli: Fear Eats the Soul19747.7Emmi Kurowski, a cleaning lady, is lonely in her old age. Her husband died years ago, and her grown children offer little companionship.View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
The Marriage of Maria Braun poster7.4The Marriage of Maria Braun1979The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant poster7.4The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant1972Veronika Voss poster7.2Veronika Voss1982Fox and His Friends poster7.2Fox and His Friends1975Querelle poster6.6Querelle1982Lola poster6.9Lola1981Why Does Herr R. Run Amok? poster7.4Why Does Herr R. Run Amok?1970Chinese Roulette poster7.1Chinese Roulette1977

Filmography

41 films as director
  1. 1982QuerelleDirector
  2. 1982Veronika VossDirector
  3. 1981LolaDirector
  4. 1981Theater in TranceDirector
  5. 1981Lili MarleenDirector
  6. 1979The Third GenerationDirector
  7. 1979The Marriage of Maria BraunDirector
  8. 1978In a Year with 13 MoonsDirector
  9. 1978DespairDirector
  10. 1978Germany in AutumnDirector
  11. 1977The Stationmaster’s WifeDirector
  12. 1977Women in New YorkDirector
  13. 1977Chinese RouletteDirector
  14. 1976Fear of FearDirector
  15. 1976The American SoldierDirector
  16. 1976Satan’s BrewDirector
  17. 1976I Only Want You to Love MeDirector
  18. 1975Mother Küsters Goes to HeavenDirector
  19. 1975Fox and His FriendsDirector
  20. 1975Like a Bird on a WireDirector
  21. 1974Effi BriestDirector
  22. 1974MarthaDirector
  23. 1974Ali: Fear Eats the SoulDirector
  24. 1974Nora HelmerDirector
  25. 1973Jail BaitDirector
  26. 1972Bremen FreedomDirector
  27. 1972The Bitter Tears of Petra von KantDirector
  28. 1972The Merchant of Four SeasonsDirector
  29. 1971Beware of a Holy WhoreDirector
  30. 1971WhityDirector
  31. 1971Pioneers in IngolstadtDirector
  32. 1971Rio das MortesDirector
  33. 1970The Niklashausen JourneyDirector
  34. 1970Gods of the PlagueDirector
  35. 1970Why Does Herr R. Run Amok?Director
  36. 1970The Coffee HouseDirector
  37. 1970Love Is Colder Than DeathDirector
  38. 1969KatzelmacherDirector
  39. 1966The Little ChaosDirector
  40. 1966This NightDirector
  41. 1966The City TrampDirector