Robert Sigl(I)

After graduating from Munich Film School in 1987 Robert Sigl started preparations in Hungary for his first full-length motion picture Laurin (1989) which he also scripted. Laurin was shot with Hungarian actors in English. Laurin was awarded the Bavarian Film Award for "Best Direction of a newcomer." At the age of 25, Robert Sigl was one of the youngest directors ever to receive that distinction. In the ensuing years he worked on several projects and screenplays before moving on to Poland to shoot the acclaimed miniseries Stella Stellaris (1994), a fairy-tale-like fantasy/comedy/adventure. He also directed the episode "Alarm für Cobra 11 - Die Autobahnpolizei: Die verlorene Tochter (1997)_ for the extremely popular German action series Alarm für Cobra 11 - Die Autobahnpolizei (1996). Critics compared the atmosphere in that episode to that in Twin Peaks (1990). Both Laurin and Stella Stellaris made a deep impression on Canadian producer Paul Donovan and the executives of the American cable network Showtime. As a result, Sigl was commissioned to direct one of the four pilot episodes, Giga Shadow, for the Science Fiction mini-series Lexx (1996). Giga Shadow featured Hollywood star Malcolm McDowell and a spectacular amount of computer-generated special effects. Lexx was sold in more than one hundred countries. During the third season, Sigl returned to direct the episode K-Town. He also directed the German horror-thriller School's Out (1999), which became one of the most successful TV movies of 1999, its reputation even reaching to the U.S., where it was subsequently released on DVD and video by Fangoria/MTI. Due to its immense success Sigl was commissioned to direct the sequel, Dead Island: Schools Out 2 (2001) in Brittany, France.

Furthermore he helmed several episodes of the highly acclaimed and award- winning German crime series Der Ermittler (2001), SOKO Donau (2008-2009)_ and _Tatort (1970-)_. His Tatort: Rache-Engel (2005) (TV) caused an enormous press furore.

Robert Sigl's most recent work is the thriller Hepzibah - Sie holt dich im Schlaf (2010), starring Eleanor Tomlinson, Finn Atkins, David Bamber and Murray Melvin. It was shot in Prague in English language and featured some opulent scenes set in the Middle Ages.

Robert Sigl has started prepping his new film The Mandylion, a 15-Million-Dollar-production to be shot in Malta, Istanbul and New York. For this supernatural adventure/thriller Sigl succeeded once again in winning the iconic Malcolm McDowell for a major part. And one of the world's leading composers, three-times-Oscar winner Howard Shore will provide the soundtrack.

Robert Sigl is also working on other new projects for the big screen, among them The 13th Disciple(funded by Media 2), Medusa (funded by Media Development), Lazarus, Wurdilak(both funded by FFA Berlin), The Blind Room, Golgatha, and the Holocaust-drama Pink Triangle Jew.

For his work on the TV series _"Vienna Crime Squad" (2005)_ Robert Sigl was nominated for the Metropolis German Director Award 2012.