Werkstattgespräch Bildgestaltung

Werkstattgespräch Bildgestaltung

Sophie Maintigneux, Birgit Guðjónsdóttir

Since 2005, cinematography workshop discussions have been a regular feature at the Dortmund | Cologne International Women‘s Film Festival. The outset in 2001 was the National Competition for Young Women Directors of Photography, the stated aim being to draw attention to the next generation of women working in the sector. It soon become clear that protracted discussions with expert directors of photography would be a particularly good way to convey relevant skills, tips and tricks of the trade as rooted in the experience of the  everyday routine. In 2009, then, Sophie Maintigneux, the renowned director of photography, took on the task of conducting the workshop discussions with her colleagues for four hours at time. In that process, thanks to her profound knowledge and her highly approachable manner, she was able to negotiate an unusual situation for invited guests who are not used to the spotlight of interest but rather to standing behind the camera. The cinematography workshop discussions have thus become a virtual trademark for the Dortmund|Cologne International Women‘s Film Festival and attract many female cinematographers every year.

Portrait of Jury member Sophie Maintigneux

Sophie Maintigneux

Sophie Maintigneux was born in France in 1961. After several years as a camera assistant, she began working as a cinematographer in 1984. She has since shot more than 70 feature-length documentaries and cinema films. She has taught at various art and film schools since 1990. Since 2021, she has been a professor teaching on the Cinematography degree programme at Film University Babelsberg Konrad Wolf.


Films by Sophie Maintigneux (Cinematography, Selection)
Trans – I got Life 2021 | Mario 2018 | draußen 2018 | Das Zimmermädchen Lynn 2014 | Fräulein Stinnes fährt um die Welt 2009 | Alter und Schönheit 2009 | Die dünnen Mädchen 2008 | Hannah 2007 | Heidi M. 2001 | L’amour, l’argent, l’amour 1997

Birgit Guðjónsdóttir

Birgit Guðjónsdóttirwas born 1962 in Iceland, trained as a photographer and has worked as a cinematographer mostly in Germany since 1992. She is active in various fields – from TV movies and cinema documentary films thought to fiction feature films. She also directed photography for several episodes of Inspector Rex, a canine detective series popular in Germany. She has collaborated with Florian Flicker and repeatedly with director Connie Walther. Has also been in charge of second unit camera on several productions, including films for Urs Egger, Wolfgang Becker, Karyn Kusama, Kevin Spacey and Dan Bradley.
Ms Guðjónsdóttir began to teach at the Film Academy Baden-Württemberg in 1998 and at the German Film and TV Academy in Berlin in 2005. In 2010, she received a guest professorship at the University of Film and Television »Konrad Wolf« in Potsdam and was made Honorary Professor there in 2013. Her numerous teaching assignments abroad also show how highly she is in demand as a lecturer. She is a member of the German Camera Association (bvk), of the der Icelandic Society of Cinematographers (IKS) and, since 2012, a member of the board at European Federation of Cinematographers, imago.


Films by Birgit Gudjonsdottir (DoP) (Selection)
Zappelphilipp (R: Connie Walther) 2012 | Eisheimat (R: Heike Fink) 2012 | Tomorrow You Will Leave (R: Martin Nguyen) 2012 | Islands Künstler und die Sagas (R: Helga Brekkan) 2011 | … und wir sind nicht die Einzigen (R: Christoph Röhl) 2012 | Our Grand Despair (R: Seyfi Teoman) 2010 | 24h Berlin (R: Volker Heise) 2009 | 3 D Produktion Besso (R: Bernie Boess) 2009 | Schattenwelt (R: Connie Walther) 2008 | No Name City (R: Florian Flicker) 2006 | Ein Tag mit Folgen (R: Katja Esson) 2004 | Jargo (R: Maria Sólrun Sigurdardóttir) 2003 | … und Tschüß ihr Lieben (R: Connie Walther) 2002

Awards for Birgit Gudjonsdottir ›Our Grand Despair‹
The Best Director of Photography, Istanbul Film Festival 2011