Dziuba, Helmut
Filming Sabine Kleist, 7 Jahre © DEFA-Stiftung, Siegfried Skoluda
Biography:
Helmut Dziuba was born in Dresden in 1933. He studied directing under Sergei Gerassimov and Michail Romm at the Moscow Film Academy (VGIK) from 1953 to 1962, along with Aleksandr Mitta and Andrei Tarkovsky.
After Dziuba returned to East Germany, he joined the DEFA Studio for Feature Films and became Frank Beyer’s assistant director (Karbid und Sauerampfer). His directing debut was the children’s film Mohr und die Raben von London.
Dziuba continued to work on children’s and youth films. His “proletarian trilogy” – Rotschlipse, Als Unku Edes Freundin war, and Jan auf der Zille – dealt with personal experiences and the responsibility of young people during the Weimar and Nazi periods. While such historic commentary was allowed, his later films on contemporary life – Sabine Kleist, 7 Jahre, Erscheinen Pflicht, and Verbotene Liebe – were not welcomed by East German officials.
Helmut Dziuba died on April 19, 2012.
Festivals & Awards:
| 2004 | Crystal Bear – Special Mention for Die Blindgänger, Berlin International Film Festival |
| 2004 | Camério of the Humanities for Die Blindgänger, Carousel International du Film, Canada |
| 2004 | Adult’s Jury Award for Die Blindgänger, Chicago International Children’s Film Festival |
| 1993 | Special Youth Award for Jana und Jan, San Remo Film Festival |
| 1993 | Bavarian Film Award for Best Director for Jana und Jan |
| 1987 | Second Prize for Sabine Kleist, 7 Jahre, Alencon Film Festival |
| 1983 | C.I.F.E.J. Award for Sabine Kleist, 7 Jahre, Berlin International Film Festival |
| 1983 | Golden Eagle Nominee for Sabine Kleist, 7 Jahre, Manila International Film Festival |
| 1983 | Golden Sparrow Award for Sabine Kleist, 7 Jahre, Gera "Golden Sparrow" National Children’s Film Festival |
| 1982 | Critics' Prize of the Theory and Criticism Section of the GDR Association of Film and Television Professionals for Sabine Kleist, 7 Jahre |
| 1982 | Heinrich Greif Prize, Class 1 for Als Unke Edes Freundin war |
| 1981 | Best Children's Film Award from the USSR Ministry of the People's Education, Moscow International Film Festival, for Als Unke Edes Freundin war |
Filmography:
| 2004 | Die Blindgänger (The Blind Flyers, script) |
| 1991 | Jana und Jan (Jana and Jan) |
| 1989 | Verbotene Liebe (Forbidden Love) |
| 1985 | Jan auf der Zille (Jan on the Barge) |
| 1983 | Erscheinen Pflicht (Your Presence is Imperative) |
| 1982 | Sabine Kleist, 7 Jahre (Sabine Kleist, Age 7) |
| 1980 | Als Unku Edes Freundin war (When Unku Was Ede’s Friend) |
| 1979 | Chiffriert an Chef – Ausfall Nr. 5 (Coded Message for the Boss) |
| 1977 | Rotschlipse (Red Ties) |
| 1974 | Untergang der Emma (Sinking of the Boat Emma) |
| 1968 | Mohr und die Raben von London (Moor and the Ravens of London) |