FRANZISKA STÜNKEL
FILMDIRECTOR + SCREENWRITER

THE LAST EXECUTION

Feature Film, 116min

Inspired by the life and death of Werner Teske, the last prisoner executed 1981 in the former GDR. This gripping historical drama is directed by Franziska Stünkel stars Lars Eidinger (Never Look Away, Clouds of Sils Maria, Persian Lessons) in the lead role, alongside Devid Striesow (All quiet on the Western Front) and Luise Heyer (All About Me). Shot at original locations including the former buildings of the State Security Service in Berlin, the film paints an authentic picture of the harsh realities in the GDR system and their destructive impact on the individual.

The film was released in German theaters in 2021. International theatrical releases followed in 2022/2023. The Last Execution (Nahschuss) is represented in competition sections of renowned international film festivals. Available on Apple TV, iTunes, Amazon, HBO Max, ZDFmediathek and other streaming platforms.

CAST + TEAM

Lars Eidinger, Luise Heyer, Devid Striesow, Paula Kalenberg, Victoria Trauttmansdorff, Peter Benedict, Moritz Jahn, Peter Lohmeyer, Kai Wiesinger, Andreas Schröders, Florian Anderer, Dirk Böhling, Hedi Kriegeskotte, Christian Redl, Hendrik Heutmann, Inka Löwendorf, Ada Philine Stappenbeck, Leon Hoge, Daniel Drewes, Thomas Schendel, Hannes Hellmann

DIRECTOR & WRITER Franziska Stünkel
DOP Nikolai von Graevenitz
EDITOR Andrea Mertens
PRODUCTION DESIGNER: Anke Osterloh
COSTUME DESIGN Ute Paffendorf
PRODUCTION Network Movie, Franks Filmproduktion, C Films, ZDF, Arte

Full Cast & Crew on IMDB

Press

Stünkel has created a film that is moving, suspenseful, and intense. An intelligent screenplay forms the foundation of a masterful piece of cinematic work.

Glam Adelaide

A dark chapter of German history, oppressively and highly excitingly staged as a mixture of political drama and psychological thriller – far away from any didactic cinema.

Fimstarts

Dialogues and scenes that hit the heart. THE LAST EXECUTION shows the relentless power mechanics of the dictatorship: played believably, humanely and thrillingly.

3 Sat TV, KinoKino

It is exciting to see how the contradicting figure is both perpetrator and victim and has to pay a high price for his initial naivety.
Film-Rezensionen

More press reviews

Awards

Main Award, Int. Film Festival NNW, Poland

Förderpreis Neues Deutsches Kino, Int. Filmfest München

One Future Preis, Int. Filmfest München

Prädikat Besonders Wertvoll, Filmbewertungsstelle

Nomination, Hugo Award, New Directors Competition, Int. Filmfestival Chicago

Nomination, Golden Frog, Main Competition, Int. CamerImage Filmfestival

Nomination, Transilvania Throphy & Audience Award, TIFF Filmfestival

Nomination, Filmkunstpreis, Festival des Deutschen Films Ludwigshafen

Nomination, Audience Award, Festival des Deutschen Films Ludwigshafen

FILMS

STUDY

Franziska Stünkel attended the Art College in Kassel and the Academy for Fine Arts in Hanover. She studied filmdirecting and selected photography as her minor. After graduating, she honed her craft as a student of the acclaimed German director and university professor Uwe Schrader. She finished with a diploma and received her Meisterschüler, master of art. Non-university, the Danish Dogma screenwriter Mogans Rukov (Das Fest / Festen) coined the cinematic work of Franziska Stünkel. He was her lecturer on the ‘Talents 2003’ scholarship. As a participant of the ‘Berlinale Talent Campus’ Franziska Stünkel was taught by other international lecturers.

ART

Since fifteen years Franziska Stünkel has been working on her ongoing photographic series ‘Coexist’. Her photographs are presented in museums and galleries until today. Franziska Stünkel has been travelling with her Leica camera through Asia, Africa, Europe, America and Australia in search of natural reflections in windows, which, in their concentration, tell of the coexistence of human life. Charged with the utmost complexity, her photographs are the visualization of the similarities and contrasts that exist in our multifaceted, networked world. The artist completely dispenses with the digital post-processing of her photographs. Franziska Stünkel has been awarded with the ‘Audi Art Award’ and the ‘Berlin Hyp Art Award’. in 2023 she was nominated for the “Pro Pictet”. In 2020 the Kehrer publishing house released her fine arts book ‘Coexist’. Her photographs are part of private and public collections, including the collection of the German based Sprengel Museum.

FILMDIRECTOR

Franziska Stünkel’s films have been screened in 19 countries and at over 150 international film festivals, where they received numerous awards, e.g. the “Best New Director Award” in New York and the “Otto-Sprenger Award”. Her screenplays were nominated for several prestigious awards, including the “Prix Genève Europe” for best European screenplay. Her current movie The Last Execution (Nahschuss) was released in German Cinemas in August 2021, followed by international theatrical releases. Starring as the main characters are the acclaimed German actors Lars Eidinger, Devid Striesow and Luise Heyer. The International Premiere of the movie took place at the 57. Chicago International Film Festival. Franziska Stünkel was awarded the “The German Cinema New Talent Award” and the “One Future Prize” at the Munich Film Festival. The film is inspired by the last execution of the GDR. “Vineta“ is Franziska Stünkel’s first full-length movie and features an impressive cast, including Peter Lohmeyer, Susanne Wolff, Ulrich Matthes, Justus von Dohnanyi and Matthias Brandt. “Vineta“ was released theatrically. Furthermore Franziska Stünkel directed the 15-hour documentary “The Day of the North Germans” (Der Tag der Norddeutschen), a film about one day in the lives of 121 Germans. 750 hours of footage were gathered on a single day and edited, under her direction, into a 15-hour documentary. Franziska Stünkel worked with a team of 400 members. “The Day of the North Germans“ aired as a special massive televison event in its entirety. For the US-American / German 90 minutes documentary “Fred Stein – Light of Darkness” Franziska Stünkel worked as dramaturge and second unit camera. The work of Franziska Stünkel is also characterized by her passion for music. She directed a concert films and music videos. Franziska Stünkel is a member of the German Film Academy.

AWARDS (SELECTION)

Main Award, Int. NNW Filmfestival 2023, Poland
Nominated Prix Pictet
German Cinema New Talent Award, Filmfest Munich
One Future Prize, Filmfest Munich
Berlin Hyp Art Award
Audi Art Award
German Cinema New Talent Award, Filmfest Munich
One Future Award, Filmfest Munich
Otto-Sprenger Filmdirector Award
Nominated Prix Geneve Europe, Best European Screenplay
Nominated Förderpreis German Film
Berlinale Talent Scholarship
Best New Director Award New York
Nominated Boje Buck Screenplay Award
Best short movie national, Int. Filmfestival Dresden
Audience Award des Cine Mexiko
Award Sehsüchte, Babelsberg Studios
Best screenplay Up & Coming European Cinema
vgf scholarship
Scholarship Film of the State of Lower Saxony

Honoured in 2015 with the official award of her hometown Hannover

MEMBER OF JURYS & BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Filmfest München, member of jury (2022)
Filmfest Braunschweig, member of jury (2022)
Hannah-Arendt-Days, member of bord of trustees (since 2008)
TUI Stiftung, member of bord of trustees (since 2014)
Spreewald-Literature-Scolarship, curator (since 2008)
Spreewald-Literature-Scolarship, chair of awarding committee (since 2008)
Award committee Cast & Cut – Film Scholarship (since 2004)
Art commission of State Representative of Lower Saxony to the Federal Government in Berlin, member (2014-2018)
Kunstverein Hannover, member of advisory council (2015-2018)
Jury member poster art 185 years of Pelikan (2023)
Niedersachsen packt an, Integrationspreis, member of jury (2020) Kulturkometen, member of awarding committee (since 2013)
Filmfestival Nordische Filmtage, member of awarding committee (2010)
Juliane Bartel Women Media Award, member of awarding committee (2009)

GUEST LECTURER & TALKS

AFTRS Sydney Filmschool Australia, Leica Academy Germany, Sommerfrischekunst Akademie Austria, University Bielefeld, Dachmarkenforum Munich, Niedersächsischer Landtag, Berlin Photo Week, Photopia a.o.

PRESS

CINEMA / CNN / Spiegel / Stern / NTV / FAZ / FOCUS / TAZ / Süddeutsche Zeitung / GALORE / Art Magazin / Monopol / LFI Leica Fotografie International Magazin / Vogue / MAX Magazin / Glam Adelaide / Atena3 / Soundvenue / La Libre Belgium / Les Grignoux Belgium / L’avenir Belgium / Blickpunkt Film / Cinema / Rolling Stone / Hamburger Abendblatt / Gala / Bunte / Für Sie / Brigitte / epd Film / Filmecho / Filmdienst / Filmstarts / TV Digital / TV Spielfilm / TV Today / Kino Zeit / Profi Photo Magazin / Fotohits Magazin / DigitalPhoto Magazin / Screen International / Westdeutsche Allgemeine / Münchener Abendzeitung / Tagesspiegel / Berliner Zeitung / Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung / Badische Zeitung / Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung / Neue Presse / Nordwest Zeitung / Kölner Express / Rhein Main Press / Main Post /Leipziger Zeitung / Nürnberger Nachrichten / Westfalenpost / Saarbrücker Zeitung / Deutsche Welle TV / Hamburger Morgenpost / ARD / ZDF / BR Kino Kino / RTL / BR / NDR / MDR / SWR / WDR / RBB / HR / RP Rheinische Post /Deutschlandradio Kultur / Kulturradio / Fritz / Radio Eins / ffn / Radio Antenne / Star Fm / Kiss Fm / Antena 3TV / Postimees / HÖRZU / Kunst und Film / TV Spielfilm / Biograph / Indiekino /Münchner Merkur / Nobilis / Stadtblatt Osnabrück / Südkurier / Tagespost / Tag24 / Der Standard etc.

honorary position

Supporter Be an Angel e.V. – Refugees Aid (since 2022)
Supporter Niedersachsen packt an – Alliance for the Integration of Refugees (since 2015)
Ambassador of North German bone marrow donation registry NKR (since 2010)
Ambassador of the Lower Saxony Foundation for families in need (2010-2014)
Ambassador of the Volunteer Center Hannover (since 2011)
Profugos Initiative for refugees, member of (2016-2017)

ASSOCIATIONS

Member of the German Film Academy
Member of the German Society of Photography DPhG
Member of the BVR Federation of German Directors
Member of Pro Quote Film

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