The stars of Berlin: Rainer Werner Fassbinder

Rainer Werner Fassbinder was born on May 31, 1946 in the Bavarian town of Bad Wörishofen. His father was a doctor and his mother, Liselotte, a translator.
She starred in a number of Fassbinder's films, using her maiden name Pempeit. Fassbinder attended the Rudolf Steiner Schools in Augsburg and Munich. He didn't finish school, but worked in various jobs. After studying drama at the Fridl-Leonhard Studio in Munich, he joined the 'Action Theater' in 1967.His first play, Katzelmacher, premiered in April 1968. In 1969, Fassbinder made his first feature-length film, Love is Colder than Death. It was booed at the Berlin Film Festival.

Fassbinder's breakthrough came with his next film, Katzelmacher (1969). It played at the Mannheim Film Festival, where it won the Film Critics' Prize, the Prize of the German Academy for Outstanding Artistic Achievement, and eventually, five prizes in all.
His commercial breakthrough was The Merchant of Four Seasons (1971), his international breakthrough Ali-Fear Eats the Soul (1974) (International Critics Prize at Cannes). In 1971, he was a founding member of the "Filmverlag der Autoren".
His biggest success, which brought him the popular acceptance he sought, came with The Marriage of Maria Braun (1978), part 1 of his FRG-Trilogy. The TV-series Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) and Effie Briest (1974) are two of his best-known adaptations.
His last film, Querelle, was shot in 1982.Fassbinder made 41 movies in 14 years, and also worked as an actor, producer, theatre manager, composer, designer, editor, and cameraman.
He died in 1982 of an overdose. His death is often considered the end of New German Cinema.

Writer - filmography
Querelle (1982) ... aka Querelle (UK) (USA) ... aka Querelle - Ein Pakt mit dem Teufel
Sehnsucht der Veronika Voss, Die (1982) ... aka Veronika Voss (USA)
Lola (1981/I) (as R.W. Fassbinder)
Theater in Trance (1981)
Lili Marleen (1981) (additional dialogue) (screenplay)
"Berlin Alexanderplatz" (1980) (mini) TV Series
Dritte Generation, Die (1979) ... aka The Third Generation
Ehe der Maria Braun, Die (1979) (dialogue) (story) ... aka The Marriage of Maria Braun (USA)
In einem Jahr mit 13 Monden (1978) ... aka In a Year of 13 Moons
Deutschland im Herbst (1978) ... aka Germany in Autumn (International: English title)
Bolwieser (1977) (TV) ... aka The Stationmaster's Wife
Chinesisches Roulette (1976) ... aka Chinese Roulette (USA) ... aka Roulette chinoise (France)
Satansbraten (1976) ... aka Satan's Brew (USA)
Ich will doch nur, daß ihr mich liebt (1976) (TV) ... aka I Only Want You to Love Me
Schatten der Engel (1976) (play Der Müll, die Stadt und der Tod) (uncredited) ... aka Shadow of Angels (USA)
Angst vor der Angst (1975) (TV) ... aka Fear of Fear (USA)
Mutter Küsters Fahrt zum Himmel (1975) ... aka Mother Küsters Goes to Heaven (USA) ... aka Mother Kuster's Trip to Heaven (UK)
Faustrecht der Freiheit (1975) ... aka Fist-Fight of Freedom (International: English title) ... aka Fist-Right of Freedom (International: English title) ... aka Fox (UK) ... aka Fox and His Friends (USA)
Wie ein Vogel auf dem Draht (1975) (TV) ... aka Like a Bird on a Wire
Effi Briest (1974) ... aka Effi Briest (USA) ... aka Fontane Effi Briest
Martha (1974) (TV) (uncredited)
Angst essen Seele auf (1974) ... aka Ali: Fear Eats the Soul (USA) ... aka Fear Eats the Soul
Welt am Draht (1973) (TV) ... aka World on Wires ... aka World on a Wire
Fru Geesches frihed (1973) (TV) (play Bremer Freiheit)
Wildwechsel (1973) (TV) ... aka Jail Bait (USA) ... aka Wild Game (UK)
Bremer Freiheit (1972) (TV) (also play) ... aka Bremen Coffee ... aka Bremen Freedom
"Acht Stunden sind kein Tag" (1972) (mini) TV Series ... aka Eight Hours Are Not a Day
Bitteren Tränen der Petra von Kant, Die (1972) (also play) ... aka The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (USA)
Händler der vier Jahreszeiten (1972) ... aka The Merchant of Four Seasons
Warnung vor einer heiligen Nutte (1971) ... aka Beware of a Holy Whore (USA)
Whity (1971)
Pioniere in Ingolstadt (1971) (TV) ... aka Pioneers in Ingolstadt ... aka Recruits in Ingolstadt
Rio das Mortes (1971) (TV)
Niklashauser Fart, Die (1970) (TV) ... aka The Niklashausen Journey
Amerikanische Soldat, Der (1970) ... aka The American Soldier (USA)
Warum läuft Herr R. Amok? (1970) ... aka Why Does Herr R. Run Amok?
Kaffeehaus, Das (1970) (TV) ... aka The Coffeehouse
Götter der Pest (1970) ... aka Gods of the Plague (USA)
Katzelmacher (1969)
Liebe ist kälter als der Tod (1969) ... aka Love Is Colder Than Death
Fernes Jamaica (1969) ... aka Distant Jamaica
Kleine Chaos, Das (1966) ... aka The Little Chaos
Stadtstreicher, Der (1966) ... aka The City Tramp