Judith Kaufmann

Judith Kaufmann, born smack in the middle of Berlin back in ‘62, is one of those names that quietly pops up in the credits and makes you go, “Wait, who shot this?!” She’s not some random behind-the-scenes figure either—her work just oozes this kind of bold, unfiltered honesty you don’t see every day. You might’ve stumbled across “Two Lives” from 2012, where she really nails this moody atmosphere, pulling you in with shots that feel intimate but never forced. Or maybe “The Teachers’ Lounge” is more your speed—2023, a bit more recent. That one? Total masterclass in using the camera like a magnifying glass, zooming right in on the quiet chaos of everyday life in a German school. It’s wild how she manages to make even a staff room feel like a pressure cooker. And then there’s “Zwischen Welten” (that’s “Between Worlds” if your German’s rusty), from 2014. It’s all about those blurry lines between cultures, and Kaufmann’s visuals do half the storytelling—lots of raw landscapes and tense close-ups, the kind that stick with you hours later. Honestly, her style’s kind of unflashy, but in the best way—she lets the actors breathe, lets the setting do its thing, and you end up feeling like you’re right there, awkwardly hovering in the background. She’s got this eye for detail and this knack for pacing that makes her stuff stand out, even if you can’t quite put your finger on why at first. Not just a cinematographer either—she’s done writing too, which probably explains why her films feel so textured and alive. One of those people who makes you want to rewatch stuff just to catch what you missed the first time.