Oliver Hirschbiegel

The Profile

Oliver Hirschbiegel is a German film director known for Downfall (2004) and The Experiment (2001). He also directed The Invasion (2007), Five Minutes of Heaven (2009), Diana (2013), and 13 Minutes (2015).

Born in 1957 in Hamburg, Germany. Active in film and television since the 1980s. Downfall (Der Untergang) was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

Reviews highlight Hirschbiegel’s stark portrayal of Hitler’s final days in La Caduta, balancing human detail with moral horror. The Experiment earns praise for claustrophobic tension and performances. The Invasion is viewed as thematically promising but undermined by formulaic action. Overall, the director is seen as incisive with power and psychology, though not immune to misfires.