Volker is arguably one of the most important and internationally successful German directors. Born in Wiesbaden, Germany, Schlöndorff left his Hessian home at a young age for Paris, France, the city that laid the foundation for his journey into film. In 1964, Schlöndorff directed his first feature film, YOUNG TORLESS, which won several awards and was the first international success for the budding movement of the New German Cinema. Subsequent titles include the quirky, mischievous genre-mix A DEGREE OF MURDER, the Heimatfilm-genre film THE SUDDEN WEALTH OF THE POOR PEOPLE OF KOMBACH, as well as the Western-inspired literary-adaptation MICHEALE KOHLHASS.