Arne Birkenstock

Arne Birkenstock (born 1967) is a German film director and screenwriter. Birkenstock was born in Huettental and was raised in Cologne. He studied economy, political science, history of Latin America and romance languages in Cologne, Buenos Aires and Córdoba, and received a master's degree in Latin American Studies.Birkenstock published several studies and non-fiction books on Latin American music and on arts and media policy for German publishing houses and governmental institutions. He has written, directed and produced several feature-length documentary films. In 2011 und 2014, he was awarded with the German Film Academy Award LOLA. His documentary feature "Beltracchi – The Art of Forgery" had its US theatrical release in August 2015 at Film Forum in New York City and Laemmle Theatres in Los Angeles, distributed by Kimstim. As a producer, Birkenstock works with directors like David Bernet (Democracy), Viviane Blumenschein (Midsummer Nights Tango), Uli Gaulke (Comrades in Dream), Florian Opitz (The Big Sellout) Enrique Sánchez Lansch (Rhythm Is It!), Tonje Hessen Schei (Drone), Milo Rau (The Congo Tribunal), Yasemin and Nesrin Samdereli (Almanya: Welcome to Germany).

Birkenstock is a board member in the Deutsche Filmakademie. He is also a member of the European Film Academy, and the German Documentary Association (AG DOK). Birkenstock serves as a jury member for film funds in Germany and Switzerland.