Mascha Schilinski

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Wikipedia

Mascha Schilinski
Schilinski at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival
Born1984 (age 41–42)
West Berlin, West Germany
Education
Occupations
  • Director
  • screenwriter
Years active2008–present
SpouseFabian Gamper
Children1

Mascha Schilinski (born 1984)[1] is a German film director and screenwriter. Her second feature film, Sound of Falling (2025), won the Jury Prize at the 78th Cannes Film Festival.

Early life

Schilinski was born in West Berlin to a German filmmaker mother and a French construction worker father.[2][3][4] She was a child actor in her youth.[5] After dropping out of high school, she worked for a traveling circus before pursuing film.[6][7] She graduated from the screenwriting program at the Filmschule Hamburg Berlin [de] in 2008, and later studied directing at the Film Academy Baden-Württemberg.[2][8]

Career

Schilinski began her career as a casting director and freelance writer.[6][9] Her first feature film, Dark Blue Girl [de], premiered at the 2017 Berlin International Film Festival and was nominated for the GWFF Best First Feature Award.[10][11] Her second feature film, Sound of Falling, was screened in competition at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Jury Prize.[12][13] It was later selected as the German entry for Best International Feature Film at the upcoming 98th Academy Awards.[14][15][16]

Personal life

Schilinski's husband, Fabian Gamper, is a cinematographer.[7] They have one child.[4][17]

Filmography

Schilinski holding the Jury Prize at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival

Film

Year Title Director Writer Notes Ref.
2012 Wir müssen los! Yes No Short film; co-directed with Roman Schikorsky [18]
2014 Das Gefühl Yes Yes Short film
2015 Die Katze Yes Yes Short film
2017 Dark Blue Girl [de] Yes Yes [19]
2025 Sound of Falling Yes Yes Co-written with Louise Peter [20]

Television

Year Title Director Writer Notes Ref.
2019–2020 Cologne P.D. Yes No 2 episodes [21]

Awards and nominations

Award Year Category Nominated work Result Ref.
Berlin International Film Festival 2017 GWFF Best First Feature Award Dark Blue Girl [de] Nominated [22]
Cannes Film Festival 2025 Palme d'Or Sound of Falling Nominated [23]
Jury Prize Won
European Film Awards 2026 European Film Sound of Falling Pending [24]
European Director Pending
European Screenwriter Pending
Jerusalem Film Festival 2025 Best Director Sound of Falling Special mention [25]
LA Film Festival 2017 World Fiction Award Dark Blue Girl [de] Nominated [26][27]
Melbourne International Film Festival 2025 Bright Horizons Competition Sound of Falling Nominated [28]
Red Rock Film Festival 2017 Best Fiction Feature Dark Blue Girl [de] Won [29]

References

  1. ↑ Dunkel, Bettina (10 April 2025). "Berliner Regisseurin Schilinski konkurriert um die Goldene Palme". Tagesschau (in German). Retrieved 12 April 2025.
  2. 1 2 Geißler, Cornelia (25 May 2025). "Mascha Schilinski: Unsere Frau in Cannes". Berliner Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  3. ↑ Stosch, Stefan (10 April 2025). "Filmfestival von Cannes: Stars von Tom Cruise bis Scarlett Johansson". Leipziger Volkszeitung (in German). Retrieved 12 April 2025.
  4. 1 2 Stosch, Stefan (9 May 2025). ""So viel Glück muss man erst mal verkraften"". RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (in German). Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  5. ↑ Dege, Stefan (14 May 2025). "A German in the Cannes competition: Mascha Schilinski". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  6. 1 2 Kunze, Ines (13 May 2025). "Die Unbekannte in Cannes: Wer ist Newcomer-Regisseurin Mascha Schilinski?". Südwestrundfunk (in German). Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  7. 1 2 Wise, Damon (14 May 2025). "Cannes One To Watch: German Filmmaker Mascha Schilinski Talks Buzz Movie 'Sound Of Falling', Which Was Snapped Up Early By Cannes & MK2 As A Bold New Voice". Deadline. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  8. ↑ Plavec, Jan Georg (20 January 2015). "Soundtracks aus Stuttgart: Katze folgt auf Kickers". Stuttgarter Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 12 April 2025.
  9. ↑ Angermaier, Heike (7 May 2025). "Palmen-Aspirantin Mascha Schilinski: "Ein Film über ein Jahrhundert Leben"". Blickpunkt:Film [de] (in German). Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  10. ↑ Stern, Lukas (17 February 2017). "Berlinale 2017: Generation Y bei Perspektive Deutsches Kino". Der Spiegel (in German). Retrieved 12 April 2025.
  11. ↑ Maurus, Kim (16 May 2018). "Mama oder ich". Süddeutsche Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 12 April 2025.
  12. ↑ Wiseman, Andreas (10 April 2025). "Buzzy Cannes Competition Film 'Sound Of Falling' Boarded By Mk2 Films; Movie "Signals An Exceptional New Voice"". Deadline. Retrieved 12 April 2025.
  13. ↑ Debruge, Peter (24 May 2025). "Cannes Awards: Jafar Panahi Vindicated With Palme d'Or for 'It Was Just an Accident,' Marking Sixth Consecutive Cannes Win for Neon". Variety. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
  14. ↑ Ntim, Zac (21 August 2025). "Oscars: Germany Submits Mascha Schilinski's 'Sound Of Falling' For Best International Feature Film Race". Deadline. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  15. ↑ Barraclough, Leo (21 August 2025). "Germany Selects Mascha Schilinski's 'Sound of Falling' as Oscar Entry". Variety. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  16. ↑ Roxborough, Scott (21 August 2025). "Oscars: Germany Selects Mascha Schilinski's 'Sound of Falling' as Best Int'l Feature Film Submission". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  17. ↑ Nicodemus, Katja (27 May 2025). "Mascha Schilinski: Wir haben einen neuen Star". Die Zeit (in German). Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  18. ↑ Pavard, Charlotte (14 May 2025). "Sound of Falling, the crossroads of lives". Festival de Cannes. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  19. ↑ Wiesner, Maria (23 May 2025). "Wie gut ist Mascha Schilinskis Filmdebüt "Die Tochter"?". Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  20. ↑ Roxborough, Scott (10 April 2025). "Cannes Lines Up Another Hot Festival With Wes Anderson, Spike Lee, Richard Linklater, Ari Aster Premieres (Full List)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 12 April 2025.
  21. ↑ Pilarczyk, Hannah (21 August 2025). "Die Geheimnisse ganzer Generationen". Der Spiegel (in German). Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  22. ↑ Schultze, Thomas (18 February 2017). "Goldener Bär für "On Body and Soul"". Blickpunkt:Film [de] (in German). Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  23. ↑ Roxborough, Scott (24 May 2025). "Jafar Panahi Wins Cannes Palme d'Or for 'It Was Just an Accident'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
  24. ↑ Roxborough, Scott (18 November 2025). "Nominations for the 2026 European Film Awards Unveiled". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  25. ↑ Goodfellow, Melanie (25 July 2025). "Jerusalem Film Festival Winners: Israeli Anti-War Film 'Oxygen' & 'The Secret Agent' Take Best Film Prizes". Deadline. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  26. ↑ Hipes, Patrick (9 May 2017). "Los Angeles Film Festival Unveils 2017 Lineup". Deadline. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  27. ↑ Kilday, Gregg (22 June 2017). "Los Angeles Film Festival Unveils Winners". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  28. ↑ Ward, Sarah (23 August 2025). "'A Poet' Wins MIFF's 2025 Bright Horizons Competition". Variety Australia. Retrieved 15 September 2025.
  29. ↑ Marxteyn, Matt (12 April 2018). "Red Rock Film Festival presents Films from M.A.R.S. Winners Showcase in Cedar City". The Independent Southern Utah. Retrieved 25 May 2025.